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Ethiopia declares the end of its first Marburg virus outbreak

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Ethiopia on Monday declared the end of its first outbreak of Marburg virus after completing the mandatory 42 days with no new confirmed cases.

A total of 14 cases, including nine deaths and five who recovered, were confirmed in the southern region bordering South Sudan since Nov. 14, 2025. An additional five deaths were classified as possible cases, the World Health Organization said.

Three health workers were infected, two of whom had died and one recovered, the WHO said.

The WHO said it provided Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health with technical support in surveillance, laboratory diagnostics, case management, infection prevention and control, coordination and logistics.

The Marburg virus originates in fruit bats and spreads between people through close contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated surfaces, such as bedsheets.

Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting and, in some cases, death from extreme blood loss. There is no licensed vaccine or treatment for Marburg.

Australian watchdog files legal action against Telegram, saying it failed to remove violent content

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s online safety watchdog has filed legal action against messaging app Telegram, saying the platform failed to remove extremist content including videos of white supremacist mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and the New Zealand city of Christchurch as well as Islamic State group beheadings. The United Arab Emirates-based app, which reports having 1 billion users worldwide, faces a fine of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars ($38 million) if convicted in the Australian Federal Court for “alleged failure to detect and remove pro-terror material,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Thursday. The civil action is a test of Australia's 2021 law requiring tech platforms to work to keep illegal and pro-terrorism material off their networks. Telegram denied the claims. “We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a spokesperson said in a written statement sent on Telegram.
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