— Ethiopian health authorities have confirmed three deaths from Marburg virus in the country’s south, officials said, after the government declared an outbreak in the Omo region bordering South Sudan. Health Minister Mekdes Daba announced the fatalities on Monday, saying laboratory tests verified the cause and that three other recent deaths with compatible symptoms remain under investigation. Authorities have isolated 129 contacts and deployed rapid response teams while national laboratories begin independent Marburg testing. The outbreak has prompted regional alerts and support from international health agencies as officials aim to contain transmission.
Key takeaways
- Three deaths in Ethiopia have been laboratory-confirmed as caused by Marburg virus; three additional deaths with similar symptoms are under investigation.
- Authorities have isolated 129 people who had contact with confirmed cases and are monitoring contacts for symptoms.
- The first cluster was detected in the Jinka area of the Omo region after alerts about a suspected haemorrhagic illness; 17 people were tested and at least nine infections were identified.
- Ethiopia established national laboratory capacity for Marburg diagnostics at its public health institute to reduce reliance on external labs.
- WHO and Africa CDC teams have arrived to support the response; the government activated multi-level emergency response centres and rapid response teams.
- Marburg transmits via direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials; average mortality is about 50%, with past outbreaks as high as 88%.
- Recent East African outbreaks include Tanzania (Jan–Mar 2025, 10 deaths) and Rwanda (ended Dec 2024, 15 deaths), where an experimental vaccine was trialled.
Background
Marburg virus disease is a highly virulent haemorrhagic fever caused by a filovirus closely related to Ebola. It typically emerges from zoonotic spillover events linked to bats or contact with infected wildlife and can spread rapidly in communities and health facilities when infection prevention measures lapse. East Africa has seen multiple Marburg events in recent years, prompting regional preparedness efforts and renewed emphasis on field diagnostics, contact tracing and protective equipment for health workers. Weak health systems and porous borders in parts of the Horn of Africa increase the risk of cross-border transmission and complicate containment.
Ethiopia’s southern Omo zone shares remote, difficult-to-access borderlands with South Sudan, where health infrastructure is relatively limited. That geography—combined with seasonal movement and informal crossings—raises the chances of cases moving across the frontier before contacts are traced. Past responses in the region have included rapid diagnostics, ring vaccination trials where vaccines existed, and community engagement campaigns to reduce transmission linked to caregiving and burial practices.
Main event
Ethiopian authorities first identified a suspected haemorrhagic illness in the Jinka area after local alerts prompted testing last Wednesday. Laboratory analysis at the national public health institute confirmed three deaths as Marburg, the minister said, and at least nine infections were flagged among 17 people tested in the initial investigation. The government declared an outbreak in the Omo region three days before the minister’s Monday announcement and immediately mobilised emergency response centres.
Health Minister Mekdes Daba said rapid response teams have been dispatched to affected localities and that surveillance and contact-tracing operations are under way. Officials reported isolating 129 contacts and establishing hotlines and public information campaigns in Amharic to help people recognise symptoms and seek care promptly. The ministry also indicated that, at the time of the announcement, no patients with active Marburg symptoms were being treated in health facilities, though investigations into other recent unexplained deaths continue.
International support arrived quickly: technical teams from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are on the ground to assist with diagnostics, infection prevention and control and risk communication. Ethiopian officials emphasised the recent upgrading of in-country testing capacity so results can be returned more rapidly at the national institute rather than depending solely on external reference labs.
Analysis & implications
The immediate public-health priority is interrupting chains of transmission through rapid identification of cases, rigorous contact tracing, safe clinical care and strict infection-control practices. Marburg’s transmission dynamics—direct contact with bodily fluids and contaminated materials—mean family caregivers and frontline health workers are especially at risk without adequate personal protective equipment and training. Strengthening infection prevention in clinics and using isolation procedures can sharply reduce nosocomial spread, a lesson from prior East African outbreaks.
Regionally, the outbreak highlights vulnerabilities along borders with limited surveillance and health access. South Sudan’s health system has been described by regional officials as less resilient, prompting warnings about possible spillover that could be harder to detect and contain. Cross-border coordination—shared case definitions, joint contact tracing and coordinated messaging—will be critical to prevent wider dissemination in border counties.
Economically and socially, even a geographically contained Marburg outbreak can strain health services, divert resources from routine care and erode public confidence. If transmission persists, countries may face sustained costs from outbreak response, including personnel deployment, laboratory supplies and community outreach. Conversely, rapid containment would limit those costs and reduce the chance of the virus reaching denser urban areas where control is more difficult.
Comparison & data
| Country | Period | Confirmed deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Tanzania | Jan–Mar 2025 | 10 |
| Rwanda | 2024 (ended Dec) | 15 |
| Ethiopia | Nov 2025 (ongoing) | 3 confirmed + 3 under investigation |
The table places the current Ethiopian event alongside recent regional outbreaks to show scale and trajectory. Both Tanzania and Rwanda recorded double-digit deaths in their most recent episodes; Ethiopia’s confirmed toll is smaller so far but remains subject to change as investigations proceed. Differences in detection speed, laboratory access and public-health capacity shaped outcomes in the past events and will influence how this outbreak unfolds.
Reactions & quotes
Government briefings have emphasised rapid action and community outreach as pillars of the response. Officials framed the national laboratory upgrade and deployment of rapid response teams as essential to limiting spread.
“We are mobilising all necessary resources and have activated emergency centres to bring this outbreak under control swiftly,”
Mekdes Daba, Ethiopian Health Minister (official statement)
Public-health agencies warned of particular risks to health workers and stressed strict infection-control procedures. Regional leaders called for coordinated cross-border surveillance to prevent spillover into neighboring countries.
“Weak health systems across borders increase the risk of cross-border transmission; we are supporting joint surveillance and response,”
Jean Kaseya, Director-General, Africa CDC (regional agency)
WHO guidance circulated to the public focuses on symptom recognition and steps to reduce transmission, including avoiding contact with bodily fluids and contaminated materials. Local communities have begun receiving information in Amharic and via hotlines to report suspected cases.
“Health workers must adhere to strict infection prevention precautions—that is critical to protecting both staff and patients,”
WHO African Region (international health agency)
Unconfirmed
- Reports of confirmed cases in South Sudan have not been validated by official national authorities or WHO at the time of this writing.
- The specific animal source or spillover event that initiated the Ethiopian cluster has not yet been identified.
- Details about the three deaths still under investigation—such as exact dates of symptom onset and epidemiological links—remain incomplete pending laboratory and field reports.
Bottom line
Ethiopia’s confirmation of three Marburg deaths has triggered a measured but urgent public-health response, with national laboratories, rapid response teams and international partners mobilised to contain the outbreak. Immediate priorities are completing investigations of suspected deaths, rigorously tracing and monitoring contacts and protecting health workers with appropriate infection-control measures. Successful rapid containment will depend on sustained surveillance at the Ethiopia–South Sudan border and effective community engagement to limit further spread.
For readers, the key actions are awareness of symptoms, avoiding direct contact with bodily fluids or people suspected of infection, and following public-health guidance from local authorities. International coordination and timely information-sharing will shape whether this episode remains a localized event or becomes a broader regional emergency.