Ethiopia declares end of Marburg virus disease outbreak
Addressing an event in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, Minister of Health Mekdes Daba said with no new case reported for 42 consecutive days, the country is now free from the virus, as per the criteria set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Ethiopia confirmed a Marburg virus disease outbreak in Jinka town in southern Ethiopia in November 2025. (Photo by Wladimir Bulgar/Science Photo Li / WBU / Science Photo Library via AFP)
_________________
ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopia's Ministry of Health on Monday declared the end of the Marburg virus disease outbreak in the country.
Addressing an event in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, Minister of Health Mekdes Daba said with no new case reported for 42 consecutive days, the country is now free from the virus, as per the criteria set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
She described the milestone in controlling the outbreak as "a great success in the history of our country's health system."
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian government has expressed its condolences to the families of those who lost their lives due to the virus.
Ethiopia confirmed a Marburg virus disease outbreak in Jinka town in southern Ethiopia on November 14, 2025, following laboratory testing of samples from a cluster of suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever.
The country has recorded 14 confirmed cases and nine deaths. Five patients have recovered from the disease, according to recent data from the ministry.
The Marburg virus, a highly infectious pathogen with a high fatality rate, causes haemorrhagic fever. Symptoms, including high fever and severe headache, typically appear within a week of exposure, according to the WHO.