The first-ever public outbreak of Marburg virus, which has been described as an Ebola-related deadly virus, has been confirmed in the Western African country of Equatorial Guinea, the World Health Organization announced in a statement obtained by USA TODAY this week.
At least nine people have died and 16 cases have resulted in symptoms including fever, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting, according to the WHO, which confirmed it was sending medical experts to help local officials, as well as protective equipment for workers in the country. The United Nations' health agency confirmed the epidemic after receiving and observing samples of the virus at a lab in Senegal, which occurred after an alert was sent from a local health official in Equatorial Guinea last week.
The Marburg virus, like Ebola, is reported to have originated in bats and is capable of spreading between humans through close contact with bodily fluid of those infected, as well as surfaces such as contaminated bed sheets, according to USA TODAY. Marburg disease leads to Marburg virus disease, which is reported to be a hemorrhagic fever that can damage the body's organs and result in bleeding, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control.
Marburg virus is considered zoonotic as it can spread between humans and animals and, along with the six species of Ebola virus, is part of the filovirus family, which causes severe hemorrhagic fevers in humans and primates. The rare disease was initially identified in 1967 following simultaneous outbreaks in laboratories in Marburg, Germany, as well as Belgrade, Syria, which resulted in seven deaths among 31 infections, according to the CDC.
The incubation period for Marburg disease is reported to be anywhere between two days and three weeks, according to the WHO. Symptoms, including intense fever and headache, are reported to start abruptly, while many patients have experienced vomiting diarrhea and stomach pain a few days after the onset, which is reported to last up to a week.
Severe cases could result in bleeding within the first week as some patients vomit blood or have it present in their stool, as well as from their gums, nose and genitalia. Marburg disease is reported to spread through the nervous system, which leads to patients experiencing confusion, irritability and aggression.