Marburg in Equatorial Guinea

Warning - Level 3, Avoid Nonessential Travel
Alert - Level 2, Practice Enhanced Precautions
Watch - Level 1, Practice Usual Precautions

Key points

Additional Information about the Outbreak

  • There have been clusters of Marburg cases across multiple districts, which may indicate undetected spread of the virus.  
  • There have been cases of Marburg in healthcare workers, which may indicate insufficient infection prevention and control measures in health care facilities.

Traveler Information

Clinician Information

Map of Marburg virus disease outbreak in Equatorial Guinea
Map: Area of Marburg virus disease outbreak in Equatorial Guinea (see larger map)
What is Marburg?

Marburg virus disease is a rare and deadly disease that has, at times, caused outbreaks in several African countries. It is spread by contact with blood or body fluids of a person infected with or who has died from Marburg. It is also spread by contact with contaminated objects (such as clothing, bedding, needles, and medical equipment) or by contact with animals, such as bats and nonhuman primates, who are infected with Marburg virus.

Marburg is a viral hemorrhagic fever. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle pain, rash, sore throat, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, chest pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising. Infection with Marburg virus is often fatal. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for Marburg.