Ethiopia Reports Three Fatalities from a Recent Marburg Virus Outbreak

Ethiopia confirmed on Monday that three people have died from the Marburg virus, while health officials are investigating three more deaths for possible links to the disease. The announcement follows Ethiopia’s declaration of a Marburg outbreak last Friday in the Omo region, which borders South Sudan. Health Minister Mekdes Daba said tests were conducted on 17 suspected cases in the country’s south.

So far, 129 people who came into contact with confirmed cases have been placed under isolation and are being monitored. The minister added that there are currently no active cases, but precautionary measures remain in place.

A response team from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been deployed to assist with testing and outbreak control. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus commended Ethiopia’s swift response, calling it a demonstration of the government’s determination to contain the outbreak quickly.

The Marburg virus, belonging to the same family as Ebola, originates in fruit bats and spreads among humans through contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated materials. Common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, diarrhoea, and vomiting. Without treatment, the disease can be fatal in up to 88% of cases.

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