The European Union has provided €700,000 to Ethiopia through the World Health Organization (WHO) to support the country’s response to the ongoing Marburg virus disease outbreak in the southern region.
The fund is part of the €1.2 million that EU emergency humanitarian package, channeled through multiple partners to strengthen a coordinated, system-wide response to the outbreak. WHO Ethiopia in a statement on Wednesday said the funding will support the procurement and delivery of critical medical supplies, the expansion of isolation and treatment facilities, the deployment of rapid response teams, and the strengthening of surveillance and contact tracing.
“The European Union’s support provides vital resources to reinforce Ethiopia’s frontline against Marburg,” WHO Ethiopia said, highlighting the role of international cooperation in confronting high-risk public health threats. It will also enhance coordination with national and regional health authorities, helping to contain transmission while maintaining essential health services.
The outbreak was first confirmed in mid-November 2025 in Southern Ethiopia. As of December 22, 2025, Ethiopia has reported laboratory-confirmed Marburg among 14 people, nine of whom have died. Though Ethiopia hadn’t had a reported outbreak of Marburg before, the type of bat that carries the virus is found in southern Ethiopia.
MG/APA