Ethiopia declares end of first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak

Ethiopia has declared its first Marburg virus disease outbreak over after 42 consecutive days with no new confirmed cases; the outbreak, confirmed on 14 November 2025, involved 14 confirmed cases and nine deaths.

Ethiopia has declared the country's first Marburg virus disease outbreak over following completion of enhanced surveillance and the mandatory follow-up period. No new confirmed cases were reported for 42 consecutive days. The outbreak was first confirmed on 14 November 2025 in the South Ethiopia Region and was contained in less than three months. The government led response operations with support from the World Health Organization and other partners. Key details: - The government announced the end of the outbreak after 42 consecutive days with no new confirmed cases. - The outbreak was first confirmed on 14 November 2025 and affected districts in the South Ethiopia Region and Sidama Region; it was contained in under three months. - There were 14 confirmed cases, including nine deaths and five recoveries, and five additional deaths were reported as probable cases. - A total of 857 contacts were identified and monitored for 21 days. - Three health workers were infected; two died and one recovered. - WHO activated emergency response mechanisms within 24 hours, deployed experts and staff, and provided technical support and critical supplies. Summary: The outbreak was contained quickly through coordinated national leadership, field response measures and international support, limiting further spread. Authorities and partners are implementing follow-up programmes for survivors and conducting after-action reviews to capture lessons learned and strengthen readiness. Continued attention to public health preparedness was emphasized by officials.