Share on PinterestBats can transmit the lethal Marburg virus. Bonnie Jo Mount/The Washington Put up by way of Getty ImagesThe World Well being Group is reporting an outbreak of the Marburg virus. For the first time it has appeared in Equatorial Guinea. No less than 16 suspected instances and 9 deaths have been reported.Equatorial Guinea confirmed its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus illness, to the World Well being Group, with not less than 9 deaths brought on by the Ebola-related virus.In an announcement Feb. 13, the United Nations well being company mentioned samples had been despatched from the west African nation to a lab in Senegal after an alert from a neighborhood well being official. Preliminary checks recognized this extremely virulent illness as the explanation for the outbreak.The WHO on Twitter that “9 deaths have been reported in individuals with signs per Marburg, and one examined optimistic for the virus.”Samples couldn’t be obtained from the different eight individuals who died, the company mentioned, however these individuals “had related signs and had been most definitely a part of the similar transmission chain.”As well as, 16 suspected instances have been admitted to well being amenities with delicate signs, and 21 contacts are being monitored at house, the company mentioned.The WHO mentioned it’s sending medical groups to affected areas to help the nation’s response efforts, and may even present private protecting tools for a whole lot of well being employees.Well being officers additionally detected two suspected instances of Marburg illness in Cameroon on Monday, in accordance to . These haven’t but been confirmed by the WHO.Right here’s what to find out about this virus and the illness it causes.