WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the Ethiopian Health Ministry and other health agencies on Friday for their “rapid and transparent response to the outbreak

By Asaye Bankole

Ethiopia has reported its first Marburg virus disease outbreak, with nine cases confirmed in the southern part of the country.

WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the Ethiopian Health Ministry and other health agencies on Friday for their “rapid and transparent response to the outbreak” .

Tedros wrote in a social‑media post, “This fast action demonstrates the seriousness of the country’s commitment to bringing the outbreak under control quickly.”

The confirmation follows a WHO announcement a day earlier that Ethiopian health officials were investigating “suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever.” Marburg belongs to the same virus family as Ebola—the Filoviridae family (filovirus)—and has been called more severe than Ebola.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes it as a “rare but severe” hemorrhagic fever that can be fatal. It originates in Egyptian fruit bats and spreads to people through contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects like clothing or bed sheets. Symptoms are fever, rash, and severe bleeding, and, according to the CDC, there is no vaccine or specific treatment for Marburg; care is limited to supportive measures.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Health said it is conducting community‑wide screenings and awareness campaigns because of the outbreak. According to a statement posted on social media, infected individuals are being isolated and treated, and efforts are underway to identify people who may have been in contact with suspected cases.

The ministry urged the public not to panic, to follow health‑authority instructions, and to seek medical care if any symptoms appear.

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