At least nine people have died in Equatorial Guinea’s first outbreak of the Marburg virus

The Marburg virus, a highly infectious and lethal disease similar to Ebola, has been confirmed in Equatorial Guinea for the first time, with at least nine deaths reported.

The WHO revealed that the country has reported 16 suspected cases of Marburg virus with fever, fatigue, and blood-stained vomit and diarrhea as symptoms.

Equatorial Guinea quarantined over 200 people and restricted movement after detecting an unknown hemorrhagic fever.

Cameroon also restricted movement along its border.

The Marburg virus disease has a fatality rate of up to 88 percent, and no vaccines or antiviral treatments have been approved to treat it.

The outbreak has been preliminarily linked to a funeral ceremony.

Contact tracing is being conducted, and suspected cases are being isolated and treated.