Ethiopia has confirmed an outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus in the south of the country, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said on Saturday.
The Marburg virus is one of the most dangerous known diseases. Like Ebola, it causes heavy bleeding, fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, and it has a 21-day incubation period.
It also spreads through contact with bodily fluids and has a fatality rate that ranges between 25 and 80 percent.
The head of the World Health Organization, Ethiopia’s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Friday that at least nine cases had been detected in southern Ethiopia. This confirmation came two days after Africa CDC was alerted to a suspected haemorrhagic virus in the area.
Africa CDC said, “Marburg virus disease has been confirmed by the National Reference Laboratory in Ethiopia.”
It added, “Further epidemiological investigations and laboratory analyses are underway and the virus strain detected shows similarities to those previously identified in East Africa.”
The agency said health officials in Ethiopia moved quickly to confirm the outbreak and contain it in the Jinka area.
It also said it will work with Ethiopia to make sure there is a strong response and to prevent the virus from spreading to other parts of East Africa.
The Marburg virus had earlier killed 10 people in Tanzania in January before that outbreak was ended in March.
Rwanda also said in December 2024 that it had stopped its first known Marburg outbreak, which caused 15 deaths.
There is no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment for the virus. However, oral or intravenous rehydration and treatment of symptoms can improve patients’ chances of survival.
Last year, Rwanda tested an experimental vaccine developed by the US-based Sabin Vaccine Institute.
