Kenya MVD Readiness - DREF Final Report (MDRKE069)

Countries: Kenya, Ethiopia Source: International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Please refer to the attached file. Description of the Event Date of event 15-11-2025 What happened, where and when? On 15 November 2025, the Ethiopia Public Health Institute (EPHI) confirmed an outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) following laboratory testing of samples collected from a cluster of suspected viral hemorrhagic fever cases in Jinka Town, located in the southwestern part of Ethiopia. This marked the first recorded occurrence of MVD in the country. Genetic analysis conducted by EPHI indicated that the virus strain was consistent with those reported in recent outbreaks in other countries within the East African region. A total of nine cases had been reported at the time. Jinka Town was located approximately 170 km and 203 km from the Kenya–Ethiopia border points of Kibish and Todonyang, respectively (both in Turkana County), and approximately 230 km from Ileret and 465 km from Moyale Town (both in Marsabit County). Turkana and Marsabit counties were identified as being at high risk due to their shared border with Ethiopia. These areas, along with surrounding regions, have numerous informal and non-designated border crossing points that were not monitored by security or health officials. The geographical proximity of these entry points underscored the heightened risk of cross-border transmission driven by frequent social and economic interactions. In addition, frequent travel between Addis Ababa Bole International Airport and Jomo Kenyatta International Airport increased the vulnerability of Nairobi, the capital city. This situation necessitated the implementation of immediate preparedness and readiness measures to mitigate the risk of importation a...

Original source: Relief Web