Ethiopia has confirmed its first outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD), adding another layer of strain to a continent already confronting multiple public-health emergencies. The announcement, made on November 15 by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), follows laboratory verification of the virus in Ethiopia’s southern region, marking a troubling milestone in the country’s health landscape.

Authorities issued an initial alert on November 12 after reports of a suspected viral haemorrhagic fever emerged from the town of Jinka, a remote area near Ethiopia’s borders with Kenya and South Sudan. The location raises concern, not only because of its limited health infrastructure, but also due to its proximity to major regional transit points that could facilitate cross-border spread.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that at least nine infections have been identified. Although Ethiopia’s Health Ministry has not yet verified any fatalities, Russia’s public health agency, Rospotrebnadzor, citing several media sources, stated that six people may have died-including two healthcare workers who were actively treating infected patients. If confirmed, these deaths would underscore the virulence of the outbreak as well as the inherent risks faced by frontline medical personnel.

Local health authorities have initiated emergency response mechanisms in an effort to contain the outbreak before it escalates into a major health crisis. Field teams have been deployed to the affected areas, surveillance activities have........

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