The World Health Organization Tuesday convened an urgent meeting of the Marburg virus vaccine consortium (MARVAC) to discuss the outbreak.
MARVAC includes leaders in the field of vaccine research and development, working together to develop vaccines against the disease.
According to the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Marburg is highly infectious and the rapid and decisive action by the Equatorial Guinean authorities in confirming the disease, emergency response can get to full steam quickly so that lives can be saved and the spread of the virus is put on hold as soon as possible.
The outbreak was confirmed following the deaths of nine people in Kie Ntem Province, located in western Equatorial Guinea. The deaths reportedly occurred between 7 January and 7 February, according to media reports.
Advance teams have been deployed in the affected districts to trace contacts, isolate and provide medical care to people showing symptoms of the disease.
Marburg virus is in the same virus family that causes Ebola.
It is transmitted to humans by fruit bats and spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, surfaces and materials.
The disease was first detected in 1967 after simultaneous outbreaks in the German cities of Marburg and Frankfurt, and in Belgrade, Serbia.
According to health experts the illness begins abruptly, with high fever, severe headache and severe malaise. Many patients develop severe haemorrhagic symptoms within seven days.
While there are no vaccines or antiviral treatments approved to treat the virus so far, rehydration with oral or intravenous fluids, and treatment of specific symptoms, improves chances of survival.
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