The disease has an average fatality rate of 50%<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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MONDAY, Nov. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2014 At least nine people in southern Ethiopia have been infected with Marburg virus, a deadly illness similar to Ebola.<\/p>\n
This marks the country\u2019s first known outbreak of the highly contagious disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.<\/p>\n
Ethiopia\u2019s Ministry of Health has also confirmed the cases.<\/p>\n
WHO director general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus<\/a> said the agency “is actively supporting Ethiopia to contain the outbreak and treat infected people, and supporting all efforts to address the potential of cross-border spread,” according to The Washington Post<\/em>.<\/p>\n Marburg virus disease is a severe hemorrhagic fever that spreads through direct contact with an infected person\u2019s blood, saliva, urine or other body fluids. It can also spread from touching contaminated surfaces.<\/p>\n The virus comes from the same family as Ebola and was first identified in 1967 after outbreaks in Germany and Serbia.<\/p>\n Early symptoms include fever, headache, chills and muscle pain, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention<\/a> (CDC).<\/p>\n Some people may also have nausea, vomiting, chest pain or diarrhea. A non-itchy rash can appear within a week of symptoms starting.<\/p>\n In severe cases, the virus can lead to heavy bleeding, organ failure and shock. The WHO says deaths often occur 8 to 9 days after symptoms begin and the average fatality rate is about 50%.<\/p>\n There are no approved vaccines or antiviral medicines for Marburg virus.<\/p>\n Previous outbreaks have occurred in Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.<\/p>\n Lab testing shows Ethiopia\u2019s cases involve the same strain seen in earlier East African outbreaks.<\/p>\n Experts believe the virus likely first spread from bats to humans and it can reappear in areas where it has been before.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The World Health Organization (WHO) has more on the Marburg virus disease<\/a>.<\/p>\n