Ethiopia has officially declared the end of its first-ever Marburg virus outbreak after a sustained period of 42 days without any new confirmed cases - the internationally recognised milestone that signals transmission has been stopped.

The outbreak was first confirmed in November 2025 in southern Ethiopia and resulted in 14 laboratory-confirmed cases and nine deaths, with five more probable deaths recorded. The response brought together national health authorities, communities and international partners, including the World Health Organisation, in a rapid, coordinated effort that lasted less than three months.

To unpack how Ethiopia contained this highly infectious disease and what lessons it holds for other African countries is Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo, the World Health Organization's Representative to Ethiopia.

Ethiopia has officially declared the end of its first-ever Marburg virus outbreak after a sustained period of 42 days without any new confirmed cases - the internationally recognised milestone that signals transmission has been stopped.
The outbreak was first confirmed in November 2025 in southern Ethiopia and resulted in 14 laboratory-confirmed cases and nine deaths, with five more probable deaths recorded. The response brought together national health authorities, communities and international partners, including the World Health Organisation, in a rapid, coordinated effort that lasted less than three months.
To unpack how Ethiopia contained this highly infectious disease and what lessons it holds for other African countries is Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo, the World Health Organization's Representative to Ethiopia.