According to the WHO, Equatorial Guinea has confirmed the first outbreak of Marburg

Equatorial Guinea has confirmed its first outbreak of Marburg disease, the World Health Organization said, saying the Ebola-related virus was responsible for at least nine deaths in the tiny West African country.

Dakar, Senegal — Equatorial Guinea has confirmed its first outbreak of Marburg disease, the World Health Organization said, saying the Ebola-related virus was responsible for at least nine deaths in the small West African country.

The UN health agency confirmed the outbreak in a statement on Monday after samples from Equatorial Guinea were sent to a laboratory in Senegal to determine the cause of the disease, following an alert by a local health official last week.

There have now been nine deaths and 16 suspected cases, whose symptoms include fever, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting, according to the WHO. The agency said it is sending health experts to help Equatorial Guinean officials stop the outbreak and is sending protective gear to hundreds of workers.

Like Ebola, the Marburg virus originates in bats and is spread between humans through close contact with the body fluids of infected people or surfaces such as contaminated bedding. Without treatment, Marburg can be fatal in 88% of people.

The rare virus was first identified in 1967 after it caused simultaneous outbreaks in laboratories in Marburg, Germany, and Belgrade, Serbia. Seven people who were exposed to the virus while conducting research on monkeys died.

There are no approved vaccines or drugs to treat Marburg, but rehydration therapy to relieve symptoms can improve your chances of survival.

In a 2004 outbreak in Angola, Marburg killed 90% of the 252 people infected. Last year there were two Marburg deaths in Ghana.