What Is the Marburg Virus - and Should We Be Worried?

An outbreak of the Marburg virus has been confirmed in Equatorial Guinea, Central Africa, with at least 16 cases and 9 deaths so far. Marburg is a close cousin of the Ebola virus, which killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa in 2014-2016. Marburg is carried by animals, including fruit bats, pigs, and primates. The virus was first identified in Germany in 1967 among lab workers infected by African green monkeys. Marburg virus can easily spread between humans through contact with bodily fluids like Ebola, it can cause fever and headaches, followed by vomiting, diarrhea, and bleeding. Watch the video to learn more about the Marburg virus and its recent spread.