Ethiopia Faces Marburg Virus Outbreak: Deadly Haemorrhagic Fever Spreads

Ethiopia's health ministry confirmed three deaths from the Marburg virus, with three more suspected. The outbreak has hit a town in Southern Ethiopia, with at least nine cases and 129 contacts isolated. Marburg, akin to Ebola, causes severe headaches and bleeding, with high fatality rates.

The Ethiopian health ministry announced Monday that three confirmed cases of the Marburg virus have resulted in fatalities, and three additional deaths could be linked to this highly contagious disease.

The confirmation comes after an outbreak was detected in a Southern Ethiopian town last Friday, with nine identified cases so far. 'The Ethiopian Public Health Institute's laboratory has verified Marburg was the cause of death for three individuals,' stated the ministry, which is also investigating three potential cases.

While no updated case numbers were provided, authorities have isolated and are monitoring 129 people who had contact with those infected. With origins from the same virus family as Ebola, Marburg leads to severe headaches and hemorrhaging, with previous African outbreaks showing fatality rates exceeding 80%.

(With inputs from agencies.)