Marburg Outbreak in Ethiopia: Current Situation

What to know

  • Ethiopia's Ministry of Health has reported 13 laboratory-confirmed illnesses, including eight deaths, from Marburg virus disease (Marburg) in the country's South and Sidama regions. Additional illnesses are under investigation.
  • Marburg is a rare but severe viral hemorrhagic fever, similar to Ebola, that can cause serious illness and death.
  • Currently, no cases of Marburg related to this outbreak have been reported outside of Ethiopia.
  • The risk of Marburg infection in the United States is low.

Current situation

In Ethiopia

  • On November 14, 2025, the Ethiopia Ministry of Health reported the country's first Marburg outbreak.
  • As of December 3, 2025, Ethiopia has reported laboratory-confirmed Marburg among 13 people, eight of whom have died. CDC is working with international partners to learn more details about the illnesses and will update this page as more information becomes available.
  • Efforts to trace those who had contact with the ill patients continue.
  • CDC continues to support Ethiopia's health officials as they respond to the outbreak.
  • Though Ethiopia hasn't had a reported outbreak of Marburg before, the type of bat that carries the virus is found in southern Ethiopia.

In countries neighboring Ethiopia

  • To date, there have been no reported Marburg illnesses related to this outbreak outside of Ethiopia.

In the United States

What CDC is doing

  • CDC has operated an office in Ethiopia since 2001. CDC Ethiopia works closely with the government of Ethiopia and partner organizations to quickly detect, prevent, and control infectious disease outbreaks. CDC is providing technical support to the Ethiopia Ministry of Health during the Marburg outbreak, while continuing to address other global public health priorities.
  • CDC headquarters in Atlanta has deployed three disease experts to assist the CDC Ethiopia Office as it supports Ethiopia's health officials in investigating and responding to the outbreak.
  • Among the activities that CDC staff support during outbreaks such as this are: strengthening tracking of illnesses, preventing spread of illness in the community, providing technical assistance for monitoring and supporting recovered patients, improving infection prevention and control in healthcare settings, strengthening laboratory testing, and assisting with ecology studies and lab development and testing efforts.
  • CDC is raising awareness of the outbreak with healthcare providers in the United States, including the potential for Marburg illnesses in travelers arriving in the United States from Ethiopia.
  • CDC posted a Level 1 Travel Health Notice for Ethiopia, recommending people practice usual precautions if traveling to the country.
  • CDC also performed an assessment of the risk the outbreak poses to the United States.

In Ethiopia and across the region, CDC continues to engage with its domestic and international public health partners and with other U.S. government agencies to support Ethiopia's response, share information, and to support readiness efforts in partner countries should Marburg spread across international borders. CDC and its partners across Africa work together to monitor disease, help ensure local laboratories can test for various diseases, train local laboratory and public health staff, investigate illnesses, and advise on how health workers can protect themselves while treating patients.

Resources

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For clinicians, public health partners, and laboratory staff

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Content Source:
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID)