Africa-Press. The Ethiopian government has announced the end of the country’s first Marburg virus outbreak, after 42 consecutive days without any new cases. Authorities confirmed that the outbreak, which began in November 2025 in southern Ethiopia, was contained in under three months thanks to a rapid national response supported by the World Health Organization (WHO).
According to official data, 14 confirmed cases were recorded, including 9 deaths and 5 recoveries, in addition to 5 other deaths classified as probable cases. The outbreak affected four areas: Jinka, Male, and Arba Minch in Ethiopia’s Southern region, and the city of Hawassa in the Sidama region. A total of 857 contacts were identified and monitored for 21 days. Three health workers were infected, two of whom died while the third recovered.
For its part, the WHO announced that it activated emergency response mechanisms within 24 hours of confirmation of the outbreak, deploying dozens of experts to affected areas and supplying urgent medical materials, including diagnostic kits, isolation equipment, and treatment supplies.
Ethiopian Health Minister Mekdes Daba noted that previous investments in the health system — such as strengthening laboratories, surveillance systems, and workforce training — helped enable early detection of the outbreak, expand diagnostic capacity, and maintain essential health services.
What is this disease?
Marburg virus causes a severe and often fatal illness. It is transmitted to humans from bats and then spreads between people through contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials. There are currently no licensed vaccines or treatments, but candidates are undergoing clinical trials, and studies indicate that early supportive care improves survival rates.
