A scanning electron micrograph of Marburg virus particles NIAID Rwanda is facing its first ever Marburg virus outbreak. Beginning in late September, 62 cases and 15 deaths had been reported by 17 October, mostly among healthcare workers in Kigali, the capital city. More than 800 contacts of infected people have been followed up in an effort to catch infections early and prevent further transmission, two of whom travelled to Belgium and Germany but were given the all-clear. As of October 21, no new cases or deaths had been reported in six days, but the threat of the outbreak hasn’t gone away. What is Marburg virus and what are its symptoms? Marburg virus is from the same family of viruses as those that cause Ebola, which are “among the most lethal pathogens known to infect humans”, according to a perspective article in The New England Journal of Medicine. They can cause similar symptoms, such as fever, chills and headache, as well as muscle aches and pains. Within a few days, people may develop a rash on …