Marburg Deaths in Ethiopia
Michiyo Tanabe and Chika Mori
Modern Tokyo Times
Ethiopia has confirmed five fatalities associated with the Marburg virus. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health is coordinating an emergency response in the Omo region, near the border with South Sudan, to contain the outbreak and assess the wider public-health risk.
Earlier, the Ministry of Health reported that laboratory tests had confirmed three deaths caused by the Ebola-like Marburg virus. Since that announcement, an additional two fatalities have been recorded.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports, “Marburg virus (MARV) and Ravn virus (RAVV) of the species Orthomarburgvirus marburgense are the causative agents of Marburg virus disease (MVD). The disease has a case fatality ratio of up to 88%, but it can be much lower with good and early patient care.”
Unsurprisingly, the emergence of new cases has heightened fear in the affected areas. As a result, urgent containment measures are underway in the Omo region to prevent further transmission and stabilize the situation.
Approximately 130 individuals with known links to confirmed Marburg cases are currently under isolation for monitoring. South Sudan has also introduced precautionary measures along its border with southern Ethiopia in response to the unfolding crisis.
AP News reports, “Without treatment, Marburg can be fatal in up to 88% of people who fall ill with the disease. Symptoms include fever, muscle pains, diarrhea, vomiting and in some cases death from extreme blood loss. There is no authorized vaccine or treatment for Marburg.”
The virus was first detected in Ethiopia in the middle of last week. Since the initial confirmed cases in the Jinka area, additional infections have been identified. While several African nations have previously experienced Marburg outbreaks, this marks the first recorded occurrence of the virus in Ethiopia.
The Guardian reports, “Outbreaks typically begin via human contact with fruit bats, which act as an animal reservoir for the virus.”
The WHO says, “MVD was initially detected in 1967 after two simultaneous outbreaks in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and in Belgrade, Serbia. These outbreaks were associated with laboratory work using African green monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) imported from Uganda. Subsequently, outbreaks and sporadic cases have been reported in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, South Africa (in a person with recent travel history to Zimbabwe), Tanzania and Uganda. In 2008, two independent cases were reported in travellers who had visited a cave inhabited by Rousettus aegyptiacus bat colonies in Uganda. In September 2024, Rwanda reported the country’s first outbreak and Tanzania declared another outbreak in January 2025.”
It is hoped that Ethiopia, neighboring countries, and international institutions will coordinate effectively to contain the Marburg outbreak and prevent further escalation.
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