Ethiopia declares end of first Marburg outbreak after 42 days with no new cases
Ethiopia has declared its first-ever Marburg virus outbreak over, meeting the 42-day standard with no new confirmed infections. Health officials and international partners said the response strengthened surveillance, contact tracing and infection-control measures in affected areas.
Outbreak officially ends after the monitoring period
Ethiopia’s government announced on Monday that its first outbreak of Marburg virus disease has ended, following 42 consecutive days without a new confirmed case. The milestone matches the standard public-health monitoring period used for hemorrhagic fevers after the last patient recovers or dies.
The outbreak was first confirmed on November 14, 2025, in southern Ethiopia near the border with South Sudan, according to public statements from health authorities and international partners. Officials said the outbreak was contained in less than three months through intensified surveillance, case management and community engagement.
Cases, deaths and health-worker infections
Authorities reported 14 confirmed cases during the outbreak, including nine deaths and five recoveries. In addition, health agencies cited several probable cases among people who died with symptoms consistent with Marburg but were not laboratory-confirmed.
Health workers were among those infected, underlining the risks of caring for patients with viral hemorrhagic fevers. Response teams focused heavily on infection prevention and control in clinics and hospitals, including safe handling of bodily fluids, protective equipment practices and isolation protocols.
How Marburg spreads and why rapid response matters
Marburg is a severe viral hemorrhagic fever linked to fruit bats and can spread between people through close contact with bodily fluids or contaminated materials. Illness can start with fever and muscle pain and progress to vomiting, diarrhea and, in severe cases, bleeding and shock.
Public-health officials said the Ethiopia response emphasized early detection and rapid isolation of suspected cases, alongside thorough contact tracing. By identifying exposed contacts quickly and monitoring them daily, responders can interrupt chains of transmission before they expand beyond the initial districts.
International support and continuing vigilance
The World Health Organization said it supported Ethiopia with technical assistance across surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, case management, risk communication, logistics and coordination. Officials noted that even after an outbreak is declared over, preparedness remains critical in case new infections appear or spillover events recur.
Ethiopian health authorities said enhanced surveillance would continue, particularly in regions affected by the outbreak, to ensure unusual clusters of illness are investigated quickly. Experts also emphasize reinforcing infection-control training and maintaining supplies so that frontline facilities can respond immediately if a suspected case emerges.