Minister of Health, Sarah Cleto Hassan Rial - Photo credit: MOH/X Handle

 The Ministry of Health has placed several counties bordering Ethiopia on high alert as it steps up efforts to prevent a possible Marburg Virus Disease (MVD) outbreak.

In a public health advisory issued today, the Ministry identified Kapoeta East, Pibor, Pochalla, and Akobo as high-risk counties. The areas were singled out due to their porous borders and high population movement.

Health officials say these counties require increased surveillance and rapid response readiness to prevent the virus from spreading.

Over the weekend, the Ministry convened an emergency meeting with health partners to coordinate preparedness plans. The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) has been activated and placed in Alert Mode to strengthen screening, surveillance, risk assessment, and monitoring across the country.

As part of nationwide preventive measures, the Ministry is urging the public to strictly follow essential health practices to reduce the risk of infection. These include:

• Frequent handwashing with soap and clean water, or using alcohol-based sanitizers where water is unavailable.
• Avoiding contact with bodily fluids such as blood, vomit, stool, sweat, urine, or saliva from anyone suspected or confirmed to have Marburg.
• Keeping distance from people showing symptoms such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained bleeding.
• Not handling bodies of persons who die with symptoms resembling Marburg Virus Disease.

The Ministry also appealed for calm, urging citizens to stay informed through verified sources and report any suspected symptoms immediately to the nearest health facility or via the toll-free hotline 6666.

Authorities say they remain committed to transparent communication and will provide timely updates as the situation develops.

Marburg spreads through direct contact with blood, body fluids, or tissues of infected persons, or through contaminated surfaces. Without timely treatment, it can reach a fatality rate of up to 88%, though early detection and supportive care greatly improve survival chances.