Ethiopia’s ministry of health over the weekend confirmed one additional death from Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak in southern Ethiopia, bringing the total death toll to seven.
In a statement issued Friday, the ministry said two additional cases were also confirmed, bringing confirmed cases of MVD outbreak in the East African country to eight as of November 21.
Meanwhile, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said it is working hard to avert possible cross-border spread of the Marburg virus.
“The Jinka town in the south region of Ethiopia is bordering Kenya and South Sudan. Therefore, we have engaged the minister of health of South Sudan, so that we can support the preparedness, just in case there is any case that can move to South Sudan,” Yap Boum II, deputy incident manager for mpox at the Africa CDC, said during an online media briefing on Thursday evening.
Boum said the continental public health agency is coordinating efforts to reinforce regional readiness, enhance information sharing, and strengthen cross-border surveillance to prevent potential spread of the virus.
Last week, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health confirmed the Marburg virus disease outbreak in Jinka town in southern Ethiopia, following laboratory testing of samples from a cluster of suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fever.
MG/as/APA