Man Dies From Ebola-Like Marburg Virus In Uganda

A hospital technician has died of the Ebola-like Marburg virus in
Kampala, the Ugandan government announced on Sunday.

The man, aged 30, died in the Mengo hospital where he worked in the
capital of the east African country on September 28, 11 days after
falling ill, the authorities said.

Tests confirmed the presence of the disease two days later.
The Marburg virus is one of the most deadly known pathogens. Like
Ebola, it causes severe bleeding, fever, vomiting and diarrheoa.

The victim's brother and one other person he was in contact with have
so far "developed signs" of the disease, the ministry of health said
in a statement.

"So far, a total of 80 people who got into contact with the initial
confirmed case have been identified and isolated for the 21-day
incubation period," it added.

"These include 38 health workers from Mengo hospital and 22 health
workers from Mpigi Health Center IV."

Like Ebola, the Marburg virus is transmitted via contact with bodily
fluids and fatality rates range from 25 percent to 80 percent.

Uganda's Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda said the government could
deal with any outbreak. "Uganda has previously successfully handled
similar situations of health threats involving hemorrhagic fevers," he
wrote on Twitter.

A Marburg outbreak in Uganda in October 2012 killed 10 people, about
half of those who were confirmed infected with the disease.

The Ebola epidemic that has been raging in west Africa has so far
claimed almost 3,500 lives, with Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone
worst hit.

Researchers announced in August that a drug developed by Canada's
Tekmira Pharmaceuticals helped monkeys survive the deadly infection in
tests.