--- title: The Marburg Virus Killed 3 in Uganda. What's Marburg? description: A severe, highly fatal virus called Marburg has infected and killed three people in Uganda. Here's what you should know about a new outbreak canonical: https://time.com/5013603/what-is-marburg-virus/ author: Alexandra Sifferlin article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-11-07T20:21:55.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-02-23T18:08:52.578Z article:section: Health og:title: 3 People in Uganda Died From the Marburg Virus. What's That? og:description: Here's what you should know about a new outbreak og:url: https://time.com/5013603/what-is-marburg-virus/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb7089b65401e9504/6988e4e77cdbac4e9ad5ac9b/marburg.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 3630 og:image:height: 2042 og:image:alt: Marburg Virus og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 3 People in Uganda Died From the Marburg Virus. What's That? twitter:description: Here's what you should know about a new outbreak twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltb7089b65401e9504/6988e4e77cdbac4e9ad5ac9b/marburg.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # 3 People in Uganda Died From the Marburg Virus. What's That? > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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Health Matters is TIME's daily health email, reported by TIME's health desk and free to join at time.com/newsletters. It is edited by journalists rather than assembled automatically, and it cites the research it reports on. #### Is Health Matters free? Yes. Health Matters is a free daily newsletter from TIME, available at time.com/newsletters. #### Who reads TIME's Health Matters newsletter? Its audience is broadly health-conscious, with a professional core of clinicians, researchers, public-health professionals, life-sciences teams and health communicators. by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Nov 7, 2017 8:21 PM UTC  This Electron Micrograph Depicts A Number Of Marburg Virions Responsible For Causing Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever. Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever Is Caused By A Genetically Unique Zoonotic, I. E. , Animal Borne, Rna Virus Of The Filovirus Family; Its Recognition Led To The Creation Of This Virus Family. The Ebola Viruses Are The Only Other Known Members Of This Virus Family. (Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images) This Electron Micrograph Depicts A Number Of Marburg Virions Responsible For Causing Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever. Marburg Hemorrhagic Fever Is Caused By A Genetically Unique Zoonotic, I. E. , Animal Borne, Rna Virus Of The Filovirus Family; Its Recognition Led To The Creation Of This Virus Family. The Ebola Viruses Are The Only Other Known Members Of This Virus Family. (Photo By BSIP/UIG Via Getty Images) Getty Images by [Alexandra Sifferlin](https://time.com/author/alexandra-sifferlin/) ## Alexandra Sifferlin Nov 7, 2017 8:21 PM UTC A severe, highly fatal virus called [Marburg](http://www.who.int/csr/disease/marburg/en/) has infected and killed three people in Uganda. While that’s a small number of infections, any cases of Marburg are cause for concern given the virus’ high fatality rates and similarities to the deadly Ebola virus. Here’s what you should know. ## **What is Marburg virus?** The Marburg virus got its name after two large outbreaks occurred in 1967 in Marburg and Frankfurt in Germany, and in Belgrade, Serbia. The disease is rare, and was last reported in Uganda in 2014 when one health worker was infected. Marburg comes from the same family of viruses as Ebola, and both of the viruses can cause large outbreaks. The fatality rate from Marburg can range from 24% to 88%. So far all the people who have been confirmed to have the virus in the recent outbreak have died. It’s believed that fruit bats are the natural hosts of the virus, and people pass it to one another through direct contact with bodily fluids. ## **What are Marburg virus symptoms?** Symptoms of the Marburg virus tend to appear between two to 21 days after a person is infected. People with the virus can experience high fevers, headaches, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting and diarrhea that can last for a week. [The World Health Organization (WHO)](http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs%5Fmarburg/en/) says people may start to appear “ghost-like,” with features like extreme fatigue and lack of expression. In past cases, patients have also developed a rash. ## **What is happening in the new Marburg outbreak?** The WHO says [three family members were infected with the viru](http://www.who.int/csr/don/7-november-2017-marburg/en/)s in the Kween District of Eastern Uganda, and all three have died. One of the family members traveled to Kenya before they died, but so far there haven’t been any cases reported in Kenya. The WHO is helping both Uganda and Kenya with the response, which includes following up with anyone who had contact with people with Marburg. Though there are no reported cases in Kenya, the WHO says the country is preparing for the possibility just in case. **Read more:** [Bats Are the Number-One Carriers of Disease](http://time.com/4827511/bats-viruses-diseases-pandemic/) ## **Is there a vaccine for Marburg?** No, there is currently no vaccine for the Marburg virus, nor are there drugs to treat the infection. Similar to Ebola, health providers try to keep people with the virus hydrated through oral or intravenous fluids, and treat their symptoms. ## **What’s being done to contain the current outbreak?** The WHO says it is working with officials in both Uganda and Kenya. In [a Nov. 4 update,](http://www.afro.who.int/news/health-workers-urged-work-communities-stop-marburg) the WHO noted some difficulties in its response efforts. Providing a safe burial for one of the people who died from the virus meant family and friends were not allowed to bathe and touch the body as they typically would. Another victim died in an isolation room where only health workers dressed in protective equipment were allowed in, which also did not sit well with locals. There’s also been some suggestion among community members that the cases are due to witchcraft. WHO said it is working to address these issues and build stronger local relationships. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5013603/what-is-marburg-virus/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5013603/what-is-marburg-virus/"},"headline":"3 People in Uganda Died From the Marburg Virus. 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