Following the Ethiopian government’s official containment of the country’s first-ever Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak, this success has been hailed as a major milestone demonstrating the nation’s enhanced capacity to prevent high-risk infectious diseases.
The successful efforts to curb the outbreak in a short period were the primary focus of a World Health Organization (WHO) operational review meeting held last week in Addis Ababa.
The outbreak, which emerged in October 2025 in Jinka town within the South Ethiopia Region, posed a severe challenge to a health system already managing multiple concurrent health crises. However, the official declaration of the outbreak’s end on January 26, 2026, is regarded as a rare victory in rapidly controlling such devastating viral hemorrhagic fevers.
The primary driver of this success was the “Surge” strategy implemented through the coordinated efforts of the WHO Ethiopia Country Office, regional experts, and headquarters teams. Professor Francis Chisaka Kasolo, the WHO Representative to Ethiopia, expressed his appreciation for the teams who worked under intense pressure to prevent the virus from spreading further.
During the review, Professor Kasolo stated, “The successful interruption of transmission and the containment of the outbreak were made possible because WHO teams across various sectors worked in a highly coordinated manner.”
The response necessitated the deployment of specialized medical teams and the rapid adaptation of technical guidelines to fit local contexts. Dr. Innocent Komakech, WHO Ethiopia’s Incident Manager, noted that the swift decision-making process on the ground played a “key” role in the effectiveness of the operation.
Despite the significant victory, the review conducted from March 17 to 19 clearly pointed out weaknesses observed during the outbreak.
Among the critical points experts identified for future improvement, infection control was paramount. It was noted that the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) systems within healthcare facilities still have gaps that require attention.
Furthermore, experts highlighted existing gaps in integrating human and animal health surveillance systems.
They also recalled how misinformation circulating on social media hindered efforts to create community awareness during the initial phase of the response.
Ethiopia’s experience in responding to Marburg is expected to serve as a blueprint for other countries in the region. The WHO is currently working to document the best practices and identified gaps to strengthen readiness for future emergency health crises.
