The outbreak of the disease was declared in February, and so far, twenty deaths have been reported. The Marburg virus is similar to Ebola and can have a death rate of up to 88%. The new cases were reported from three provinces in Equatorial Guinea, which are around 150 kilometers apart, suggesting a possible wider transmission of the virus.

In response to the new cases, WHO Africa Director Matshidiso Moeti emphasized the urgent need to scale up response efforts to quickly stop the chain of transmission. The symptoms of Marburg virus disease include fever, fatigue, and blood-stained vomit and diarrhea, and there are currently no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat it.

Neighboring Cameroon has also detected two suspected cases of Marburg disease last month, despite restricting movement along the border to avoid contagion. Tanzania has also confirmed eight cases of Marburg disease, including five reported deaths.