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New Ebola-Like Marburg Virus Takes A Life In Uganda

By Kamal Nayan | Update Date: Oct 06, 2014 10:25 AM EDT

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

According to the authorities, the man in his 30s, died in the Mengo hospital, 11 days after falling ill.

The presence of the disease was confirmed through tests two days later.

The Marburg virus is one of the most deadly known pathogens. Like Ebola, it causes severe bleeding, fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, the press release added. 

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 added 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."

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

"Uganda has previously successfully handled similar situations of health threats involving hemorrhagic fevers," Uganda's Prime Minister Dr Ruhakana Rugunda wrote on Twitter. 

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