Tracking Emerging Public Health Challenges – December 14, 2025 – Ebola/ Marburg
“This official update from Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health details the Marburg virus disease outbreak’s status on December 12, 2025, reporting one new confirmed case daily amid zero new deaths or recoveries, with cumulative totals of 14 cases, 8 deaths, 4 recoveries, and 2 patients on treatment.
Ethiopia’s first Marburg outbreak, declared November 14, 2025, in the southern region, stems from a zoonotic filovirus similar to Ebola, with transmission via bodily fluids; WHO and CDC data confirm a case fatality rate near 57%, aligning with historical outbreaks ranging 24-88% per peer-reviewed studies in The Lancet.
Extensive surveillance, including 1,765 laboratory investigations and hotline monitoring, highlights containment efforts; no critically ill cases reported today suggests stabilizing acute severity, though ongoing international support is crucial for preventing wider spread in a population of over 120 million.” (1)
“The death toll in Ethiopia’s first outbreak of the deadly Marburg haemorrhagic fever has risen to five, with 10 cases confirmed.
Another three dead patients are also suspected to have died from the Ebola-like killer, but full lab tests have yet to confirm the cause.
Health experts have rushed to the outbreak site in southern Ethiopia since the first cases were confirmed earlier this month.
Scientists have warned that the outbreak’s proximity to borders with Kenya and South Sudan means that, if not contained, it could spread rapidly.
Marburg is caused by a filovirus carried by fruit bats and can jump to people exposed to the flying mammals in caves or mines.
Infection is then transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected patients.
Medics, relatives tending to the sick, or those preparing bodies for burial are particularly at risk of coming into contact with infectious body fluids.
The disease, which is similar to Ebola, kills up to 88 per cent of those it infects.”
“There are no approved vaccines for the virus, but some are under development and could be deployed under emergency conditions.” (2)
“The Marburg virus antibody treatment that supports the efforts to control and give a quick response to the Marburg virus has been obtained with the support of the American government. The American ambassador of Ethiopia, Arvin Massinga has been handed over to the minister of health Mrs. Frehiwot Abebe.
More than ever, the American government has shown its support by donating more experimental vaccines to prevent and control the Marburg virus by donating more than ever before. Frehiwot Abebe said.
The treatment is called Monoclonal Antibody; Mrs. Frehiwot has added that it can treat Marberg virus victims and give quick response.
Ambassador Arvin Massinga who said that the American government is standing with Ethiopia in the efforts to control the disease since the outbreak of Marburg epidemic; the support given will help save the virus victims.
The ambassador recalled that the treatment was used during the Marburg epidemic in Rwanda in 2024; he said he is committed to providing the necessary assistance by supporting Ethiopia’s efforts to prevent the epidemic.
According to an update from the MOH, as of December 7, no new Marburg virus disease (MVD) cases were reported today, amid the country’s first-ever outbreak detected in late November.
Cumulative figures show 13 laboratory-confirmed cases, 8 deaths (62% case-fatality ratio), 4 recoveries, and 1 active case under treatment, based on 1,428 tests conducted.
The outbreak, linked to fruit bat exposure in South Ethiopia and Sidama regions, has prompted WHO and CDC alerts, emphasizing contact tracing and no international spread detected per recent advisories.” (3)
“Jeremy Konyndyk, most recently an official in Joe Biden’s government and now president of Refugees International, told The Independent he feared there would be “large and complex outbreaks in the future that will get out of control because the US government health security preparedness and response capacity has been dismantled”.”
“While the outbreak was on track to being contained, “I think it’s important not to over-interpret the relevance of that vis-a-vis the USA,” Konyndyk said.
When Trump took office in January, he cut roughly 80 per cent of all overseas aid including to teams primed to respond to emergency disease outbreaks.
“This is, as things go, a relatively more straightforward containment operation than other outbreaks you might see. It’s in a peaceful part of Congo. It’s in a country that has dealt with this a lot before and has a lot of capacity. It has that capacity in part because of the sort of investments the US made which are now being cut,” Konyndyk added.
The US previously provided training to local infectious disease experts, funded laboratories, vaccines and treatments as well as prevention. Stockpiles of things like drugs and personal protective equipment (PPE) are not being maintained.
“The progress and success that’s apparent so far in the present outbreak is built on the very investments that the Trump administration is now systematically dismantling,” Konyndyk explained. This included investments that had been made by governments of different colours including by Trump himself during his first administration. “That’s just been completely shredded. It’s gone.””
“This time, other donors including in European countries stepped in to fill the gap. However, countries across the rich world are set to cut overseas aid in the coming years.
And while the WHO is well-versed in leading outbreaks response, the UN health agency has also faced deep cuts this year including from the US, with more set to come.
“That to my mind is the question for the future,” Konyndyk said. “If this same outbreak happens in two years’ time…will those capabilities still be at the level that they are now?””
“It is the sixteenth Ebola outbreak the country has faced since the disease was first discovered there in the mid-70s.” (4)
“The Global Virus Network (GVN), a coalition of leading human and animal virologists in more than 40 countries dedicated to advancing pandemic preparedness through research, education and training, and global health solutions, today issued a statement on the newly confirmed outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in southern Ethiopia. This represents the country’s first documented outbreak of Marburg virus and raises urgent public health, research, and surveillance imperatives.”
“The immediate priority is rapid identification of infected individuals, isolation where appropriate, and prevention of further transmission. There are currently no approved therapeutics or licensed vaccines for Marburg virus disease, so timely case management, surveillance, and contact tracing are essential. Supportive clinical care remains the cornerstone.”
Prof. Kaleebu further emphasized several urgent research and outbreak-management needs:
Vaccine research: The Sabin Vaccine Institute’s ChAd3-MARV vaccine candidate was tested in Rwanda last year but could not provide efficacy data…
Therapeutics: Experimental uses of antivirals such as remdesivir and monoclonal antibodies have been recorded in previous outbreaks, though data remain limited.
Origin & ecology: Investigations must trace sources of the outbreak. Given that this is the first Marburg detection in Ethiopia, studies should examine local bat reservoirs (especially Rousettus aegyptiacus), potential cross-border importation, retrospective serosurveys, and environmental modelling of spill-over risk.
Modelling & surveillance: Previous modelling by UVRI for Ugandan outbreaks identified geographic risk zones; this modelling framework should now be applied to Ethiopia to assess climatic or ecological changes enabling emergence.” (5)
1.Ethiopia reports 14th Marburg Virus Disease case in country’s first outbreak, Robert Herriman, https://outbreaknewstoday.substack.com/p/ethiopia-reports-14th-marburg-virus
2.Marburg outbreak worsens in Ethiopia as death toll rises, by Ben Farmer, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/marburg-outbreak-worsens-in-ethiopia/
3.Marburg Monoclonal antibody donated to Ethiopia, by Robert Herriman, https://outbreaknewstoday.substack.com/p/marburg-monoclonal-antibody-donated
4.Trump aid cuts could push next Ebola outbreak to spiral out of control, former US official warns, by Rachel Schraer, https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/africa/trump-aid-cuts-ebola-outbreak-africa-b2857354.html
5.Global Virus Network outlines priorities as Marburg virus emerges in Ethiopia, by Pontiano Kaleebu, https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251127/Global-Virus-Network-outlines-priorities-as-Marburg-virus-emerges-in-Ethiopia.aspx
curated by Jonathan M. Metsch, Dr.P.H.
Clinical Professor of Environmental Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai