Ethiopia confirmed Saturday an outbreak of the highly lethal Marburg virus in its southern Jinka region, with at least nine cases detected, prompting the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to launch urgent containment efforts amid fears of wider East African spread.
The Africa CDC, alerted to a suspected haemorrhagic fever two days earlier, verified the pathogen through Ethiopia’s National Reference Laboratory, describing it as a strain akin to those seen in prior East African epidemics.
“Marburg virus disease (MVD) has been confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory (in Ethiopia),” the Africa CDC announced in a statement, vowing collaboration with local authorities to curb transmission risks.
The virus, a filovirus relative of Ebola, triggers severe symptoms including fever, bleeding, vomiting and diarrhoea, with a 21-day incubation and fatality rates of 25 to 80 percent. No licensed vaccine or antiviral exists, though supportive care like rehydration boosts survival odds.
Ethiopia’s health ministry acted rapidly to isolate cases and trace contacts in Jinka, a remote area near South Sudan, while the Africa CDC pledged epidemiological probes and lab support to shield neighbouring nations.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, an Ethiopian, flagged the threat Friday, stating at least nine infections had surfaced in the south.
Recent flare-ups — a 10-death outbreak in Tanzania earlier this year and Rwanda’s 15-fatal case cluster in late 2024, contained via a trial US vaccine — underscore the virus’s volatility in the region. Rwanda’s success offers hope, but experts warn of porous borders and limited surveillance amplifying spillover dangers.
The Africa CDC emphasised swift action: “Further epidemiological investigations and laboratory analyses are underway.” It added that joint efforts with Ethiopia aim “to ensure an effective response and to reduce the risk of the virus spreading to other parts of East Africa.”
