TAMPA, Fla., Nov. 26, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- 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.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the outbreak was officially confirmed on November 14, 2025, after initial suspected viral hemorrhagic-fever cases in Jinka town, South Omo Region, Ethiopia, were tested and found to contain Marburg virus RNA. As of November 20, 2025, six laboratory-confirmed cases, including three deaths, have been reported; in addition, three probable (epidemiologically linked) deaths are under investigation. The number of contacts being monitored is 206 and growing.
“The immediate priority is rapid identification of infected individuals, isolation where appropriate, and prevention of further transmission,” said Professor Pontiano Kaleebu, MBChB, PhD, a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, director of the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI), and a GVN Center of Excellence director. “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. The Makerere University Walter Reed Project in Uganda, in partnership with Sabin and others, has conducted Phase I/II trials, and UVRI is actively defining immune correlates of protection.
- 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.
“This outbreak also presents an opportunity to advance much-needed vaccine and therapeutic research for Marburg virus,” Prof. Kaleebu added. “Scientific studies involving survivors, including immunologic responses and viral shedding over time, will be essential to strengthen global preparedness.”
GVN also notes regional implications. The outbreak’s location, close to the borders with South Sudan and Kenya, raises the potential for cross-border spread. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is actively supporting Ethiopia’s response with diagnostics, genomic sequencing capacity, and bio-surveillance.
“The detection of Marburg virus in Ethiopia for the first time is a stark reminder of how quickly viral threats can emerge in new regions. It reinforces the need for strong surveillance systems, rapid diagnostic capacity, and scientific partnerships across Africa,” said Professor Salim S. Abdool Karim, MBChB, PhD, director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), a GVN Center of Excellence, and chair of the Africa CDC’s Emergency Consultative Group on continental public health emergencies. “Africa has the scientific leadership, laboratory capabilities, and field experience to confront outbreaks like this, but investment in preparedness must be sustained not just during crises.”
The GVN will continue to monitor the situation closely and work with partners across Africa and the global health community to support outbreak response, research efforts, and long-term strategies to mitigate future Marburg virus threats.
Media Contact:
Nora Samaranayake
nsamaranayake@gvn.org
About the Global Virus Network
The Global Virus Network (GVN) is a worldwide coalition comprising 90+ Virology Centers of Excellence and Affiliates across 40+ countries, whose mission is to facilitate pandemic preparedness against viral pathogens and diseases that threaten public health globally. GVN advances knowledge of viruses through (i) data-driven research and solutions, (ii) fostering the next generation of virology leaders, and (iii) enhancing global resources for readiness and response to emerging viral threats. GVN provides the essential expertise required to discover and diagnose viruses that threaten public health, understand how such viruses spread illnesses, and facilitate the development of diagnostics, therapies, and treatments to combat them. GVN coordinates and collaborates with local, national, and international scientific institutions and government agencies to provide real-time virus informatics, surveillance, and response resources and strategies. GVN's pandemic preparedness mission is achieved by focusing on Education & Training, Qualitative & Quantitative Research, and Global Health Strategies & Solutions. The GVN is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information, please visit www.gvn.org
