Health officials in Uganda are reporting two Marburg virus fatalities in Kween District in the eastern part of the country.

According to a post by the Uganda Virus Research Institute:

Marburg virus/Frederick Murphy
Marburg virus/Frederick Murphy

Uganda Virus Research Institute has confirmed cases of the deadly Marburg virus in Kween District on the western slopes of Mt. Elgon in Eastern Uganda. Two people have died from the deadly hemorrhagic fever.

The Ministry of health is sending an emergency response team to the district.

The public is urged to be vigilant and report suspected cases.

Symptoms of the Marburg virus include Nausea and vomiting, Diarrhea (may be bloody), Red eyes, Raised rash, Chest pain and cough, Sore throat, Stomach pain, Severe weight loss among others.

Related: Marburg virus in Uganda: Should we be concerned?

Marburg hemorrhagic fever is a rare, severe type of hemorrhagic fever which affects both humans and non-human primates. Caused by a genetically unique zoonotic (that is, animal-borne) RNA virus of the filovirus family, its recognition led to the creation of this virus family. The five species of Ebola virus are the only other known members of the filovirus family.

Recent scientific studies implicate the African fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) as the reservoir host of the Marburg virus. The African fruit bat is a sighted, cave-dwelling bat which is widely distributed across Africa. Fruit bats infected with Marburg virus do not to show obvious signs of illness. Primates, including humans, can become infected with Marburg virus, which can progress to serious disease with high mortality.

Just how the animal host first transmits Marburg virus to humans is unknown.

Related: The World’s Deadliest Viruses

After an incubation period of 5-10 days, the onset of the disease is sudden and is marked by fever, chills, headache, and myalgia. Around the fifth day after the onset of symptoms, a maculopapular rash, most prominent on the trunk (chest, back, stomach), may occur. Nausea, vomiting, chest pain, a sore throat, abdominal pain, and diarrhea then may appear. Symptoms become increasingly severe and may include jaundice, inflammation of the pancreas, severe weight loss, delirium, shock, liver failure, massive hemorrhaging, and multi-organ dysfunction. The case-fatality rate for Marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreaks is between 23-88%.

Confirmed cases of Marburg HF have been reported in Uganda, Zimbabwe, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, and Angola. Cases of Marburg HF have occurred outside Africa, though infrequently.

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