The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains summaries and discussion of graphic descriptions of the impact of filoviruses on human and animal bodies.

In “Something in the Forest,” Preston tells the story of a breakout event in 1980 in which what turns out to be the Marburg virus jumps species to infect a French expatriate whom he calls Charles Monet. Monet lives in western Kenya, near Mount Elgon, where he enjoys Kenya’s wildlife and natural beauty, having special affection for birds and wild monkeys. During Christmas vacation from his job at a sugar plantation, Monet and a female companion go camping on an ancient volcano known as Mount Elgon. At over 14,000 feet in elevation and 50 miles in diameter, Mount Elgon is the widest mountain in Africa—an enormous island of rainforest surrounded by villages and farms. On New Year’s Day, they explore Kitum Cave, a massive cave used by elephants, bats, and other animals.

On January 8, 1980, Charles Monet misses work with a headache. Preston notes that seven days is a typical incubation for Marburg virus. Over the next three days, Monet’s condition worsens, and he experiences fever and vomiting. His face becomes “an expressionless mask” (36), and his eyes turn red.