Ethiopia is facing its first Marburg virus outbreak, the country confirmed over the weekend, after reports began to circulate last week of cases of a viral hemorrhagic fever in the southern part of the country, according to an update late last week from the World Health Organization (WHO) Ethiopia.
So far 17 suspected cases have been identified in the region of Jinka city in the south, and an additional 129 case contacts are being monitored. Today the Ethiopian Ministry of Health said three people have died.
Nine cases have been confirmed. "Genetic analysis by the Ethiopia Public Health Institute revealed that the virus is of the same strain as the one that has been reported in previous outbreaks in other countries in East Africa," the WHO said. "A total of nine cases have been reported in the outbreak that has affected Jinka town in the South Ethiopia Region."
Genetic analysis by the Ethiopia Public Health Institute revealed that the virus is of the same strain as the one that has been reported in previous outbreaks in other countries in East Africa.
Marburg virus is a severe and often deadly viral hemorrhagic fever. The virus belongs to the same family as Ebola virus, and both cause sudden high fevers, headache, and bleeding that begins about one week after symptom onset. The disease is typically transmitted to humans from fruit bats, and can be spread through contact with bodily fluids or contact with contaminated materials.
No vaccine for Marburg
Unlike Ebola, there is no vaccine against Marburg, which has an average case-fatality rate of 50%, with some outbreaks as high as 88%.
On X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, said he commended Ethiopia for its "rapid and transparent response to the outbreak, and the work of the Ethiopia Public Health Institute and regional health authorities. This fast action demonstrates the seriousness of the country's commitment to bringing the outbreak under control quickly."
According to the WHO, previous Marburg outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda.
Last year Rwanda reported an outbreak that affected at least 66 people, with 15 deaths.
