By Ifeoma Nwovu
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health has confirmed the country’s first outbreak of Marburg virus disease in the South Ethiopia Region.
The announcement followed laboratory tests that detected the virus in samples from a cluster of suspected viral haemorrhagic fever cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said genetic analysis from the Ethiopian Public Health Institute shows the virus strain matches those seen in earlier East African outbreaks.
Marburg virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated materials and it originates in fruit bats.
Early symptoms include high fever, intense headache, muscle pain and fatigue, with many patients developing severe bleeding within a week.
There are no licensed treatments or vaccines, though several are in clinical trials.
WHO noted that early supportive care, including oral or IV rehydration and symptom management, improves survival.
Previous cases in Africa have been recorded in Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.
WHO reported nine identified cases in the current outbreak, which is centred in Jinka town.
Ethiopian health authorities have launched community screening, isolation and treatment of confirmed cases, contact tracing and public awareness campaigns.
Marburg belongs to the same virus family as Ebola, making swift containment critical.
WHO and partners have deployed experts and supplied medical equipment to support Ethiopia’s response.
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