The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed an outbreak of the highly lethal Marburg virus in southern Ethiopia.
In a statement released on Saturday, the continental health body said laboratory tests conducted at Ethiopia’s National Reference Laboratory verified the presence of the virus, prompting an immediate response from national and regional authorities.
According to the Africa CDC, early findings indicate that the virus strain detected shares similarities with those previously recorded in East Africa.
“Marburg virus disease has been confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory in Ethiopia,” the agency said.
“Further epidemiological investigations and laboratory analyses are underway, and the virus strain detected shows similarities to those previously identified in East Africa.”
Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also confirmed on Friday that at least nine cases had been identified in the affected zone, located in the Jinka area of southern Ethiopia. The WHO was first alerted two days earlier to a suspected haemorrhagic illness in the region.
The Marburg virus, which is closely related to Ebola, is notorious for causing sudden fever, severe bleeding, vomiting, and diarrhoea.
It has an incubation period of up to 21 days and a fatality rate that ranges between 25 and 80 per cent.
Africa CDC noted that Ethiopian health authorities had moved swiftly to trace contacts, contain transmission, and deploy emergency medical teams.
“Ethiopian health authorities acted promptly to confirm and contain the outbreak in the Jinka area,” the agency said, pledging continued support.
“We are working closely with the government to ensure an effective response and minimise the risk of spread to neighbouring regions.”
Recent outbreaks in the region underscore the recurring threat of the virus. Tanzania recorded 10 deaths during an epidemic earlier in the year before it was contained in March.
Rwanda also reported its first known Marburg outbreak in December 2024, resulting in 15 deaths.
There is currently no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment for Marburg virus disease.
However, supportive care — including oral or intravenous rehydration and management of specific symptoms — significantly improves the chances of survival.
In 2024, Rwanda conducted a trial of an experimental Marburg vaccine developed by the US-based Sabin Vaccine Institute, offering hope for future prevention strategies.
