What Is 'Marburg Virus'? The Latest 5G Nanoparticle Coronavirus Zombie Conspiracy Theory, Explained

There may be a non-zero chance that your phone will turn you into a zombie on October 4th, according to conspiracy theorists posting about 5G and the Marburg virus. This may be the quirkiest scheme yet of the globalist cabal running the world government has (according to online conspiracy theorists).

By secretly hiding dormant cells of a deadly rare disease in the coronavirus vaccine, the cabal has set the stage for triggering a zombie apocalypse through the mass burst of 5G waves that will come when it tests the emergency preparedness notification system on October 4th. According to the theory, the 5G will apparently unlock the deadly Marburg virus cells which will mutate into a zombie virus.

But how did this conspiracy theory become a thing? And does anybody actually believe it?

What Is Marburg Virus?

Marburg virus is a real disease. It's a deadly fever carried by monkeys and bats in central Africa, and it is named Marburg because there was a famous 1967 outbreak at a research lab in Marburg, Germany. Since then, there's been a series of Marburg virus outbreaks in Africa and other parts of the world, often tied to direct contact with infected animals. The virus is extremely deadly: the most recent recorded outbreak in Equatorial Guinea killed 12 of the 16 people infected.

What Does The Conspiracy Theory Claim?

The conspiracy theory originally claimed that cells of Marburg virus were hidden inside of the COVID-19 vaccines, and that 5G rays could burst the "nanoparticles" in which the Marburg was hidden, leading them to spread throughout the bodies of the vaccinated. Later additions to the theory claim that either the Marburg virus or the bodies of the vaccinated were genetically modified so that the virus would kill them and then turn them into zombies.

How Did The Marburg Virus Conspiracy Theory Start?

The ingredients for this conspiracy theory were already laid out on the table: people have been tinfoil hatting about 5G for a long time, the anti-vaccine conspiracy tradition is alive and well and zombies have been a major cultural force for decades. The person who combined them together at first was Rashid Buttar, a discredited former doctor who posted a video in May of 2022 on Rumble laying out the conspiracy theory.

Shortly after Buttar's video, Mike Flynn, Donald Trump's former National Security Advisor, endorsed his conspiracy theory. Buttar then reportedly died shortly after the video was posted, leading his followers to claim that CNN poisoned him and giving the video a boost.

Where Did The Marburg Virus Zombie Theory Come From?

On April 22nd, 2023, a man named Todd Callender claiming to be an attorney went on a little-watched conspiracy theory talk show with an updated version of the Buttar theory: the Marburg virus would now turn people into zombies, and the date of October 4th and government's emergency test was predicted as the moment when the 5G rays would trigger the virus release.

Coincidentally (or perhaps not, if you don't believe in coincidences) the idea of Marburg virus morphing into a zombie virus is written about in an early 2010s trilogy of science fiction zombie novels by Seanan McGuire. McGuire called the CDC while writing the books in order to find a plausible real-life way that a zombie pandemic could happen, and the people there told her a genetically modified Marburg virus could do the trick.

How Do People Use It In Memes?

Some are making fun of the "conspiracy theory, ":https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/conspiracy-theories posting jokes at the expense of those who believe it. As is always the case, others are trying to cash in on the fear and paranoia, encouraging their followers to buy survivalist products and watch their content.

Like most conspiracy theories brewed in the internet's strange cauldron, the 5G Marburg zombie virus' spread is a tale of mental illness, the influencer economy's incentives, and political extremism. The most ridiculous stuff often gets the most eyeballs, the most press coverage, and generates the most paranoia. So, here we are. Be careful out there.

For the full history of Marburg Virus, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.