Ethiopia confirms first Marburg outbreak as WHO warns of cross-border risk

Deadly Marburg outbreak hits Ethiopia

Ethiopia has reported its first known outbreak of the Marburg virus, a highly infectious haemorrhagic fever which is closely related to Ebola. The Washington Post reported that at least nine people have been infected in the country's south, according to confirmations from both Ethiopia's Health Ministry and the World Health Organization. The announcement has triggered immediate public-health mobilisation given the virus's rapid progression, high fatality rate and lack of specific treatment.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization is working closely with Ethiopian authorities to contain the spread and to support medical teams on the ground. In a public statement, he said that attention is focused on identifying all suspected cases, isolating those infected, and enhancing surveillance in surrounding areas. Border monitoring has also been heightened, reflecting concerns that the virus could spread across East Africa if it is not quickly contained.

Marburg virus disease is considered one of the most dangerous viral infections known to medicine. The disease is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated surfaces. The virus belongs to the Filoviridae family, which also includes Ebola. It was identified in 1967 during outbreaks among laboratory workers in Germany and Serbia who had handled infected primates. Scientists consider that the virus, which takes its origin from fruit bats, spills over normally to humans before spreading in the community.

Early symptoms are similar to many common tropical diseases, starting with sudden fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain. As the disease progresses, patients experience nausea, severe diarrhoea, and abdominal cramping. A non-itchy rash often appears within the first week. Internal bleeding, organ failure, and shock can occur in severe cases. WHO estimates indicate that the case fatality rate averages approximately 50 percent, though individual outbreaks have ranged far higher.

No licensed vaccines or antiviral drugs are available for curing Marburg. Treatment fully depends on supportive care like rehydration, maintenance of electrolyte balance, and management of the symptoms. Public health experts emphasize that the rapid identification of cases and their isolation remain amongst the most potent weapons in breaking the chain of transmission.

There have been several outbreaks of Marburg virus in East Africa in the past, including earlier cases reported in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Laboratory testing in the most recent Ethiopian cases shows the same viral strain as was involved in earlier regional outbreaks, pointing to a recurring viral reservoir in local bat populations.

Health officials warn that even in cases when an outbreak has been brought under control, the virus can suddenly reappear. But for Ethiopia, the priority now is preventing that first spark from becoming a wider regional threat.