Marathon Oil Corporation through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Marathon E.G. Production Limited, announced today that the Government of Equatorial Guinea, Marathon and Noble Energy, have achieved very encouraging results from the first phase of the five-year, $8.3 million Bioko Island Malaria Control Project (BIMCP) in Equatorial Guinea.

These initial results include an 80 percent reduction in malaria transmitting mosquitoes and a 33 percent reduction in the presence of malaria parasites in children. Taken together these initial results suggest that the BIMCP is well on its way to eradicating the transmission of a disease that poses the most significant health threat to the citizens of Equatorial Guinea.

Malaria is endemic in Equatorial Guinea and is the number one killer in sub-Saharan Africa. The high prevalence of malaria on Bioko Island contributes significantly to an estimated mortality rate of 17 percent in children under five years of age. This is more than 20 times higher than the mortality rate in the United States. Even when not fatal, malaria compromises the health and productivity of many people, and significantly impacts the financial well-being of families, especially those least able to afford medication. The elimination or dramatic reduction in malaria transmission on Bioko Island will therefore significantly reduce both the health and economic burden of this disease.

"It is very gratifying to be involved in a project that shows such promise to benefit the lives of thousands of people," said Steven B. Hinchman, Marathon senior vice president of Worldwide Production. "This is a powerful example of a public/private partnership in action. Thanks to the active support of our business partners and close collaboration with the Government of Equatorial Guinea, the project has moved forward quickly and has achieved outstanding results during its first full year."