Africa’s top public health agency has confirmed a new outbreak of Ebola in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The remote Ituri province has so far recorded 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement on Friday.
The health body said it was calling an urgent meeting with Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to strengthen cross-border surveillance, preparedness and response efforts.
It said the cases have emerged mainly in Mongwalu and Rwampara health areas, with four of the laboratory-confirmed cases resulting in death.
“Africa CDC is concerned about the risk of further spread due to the urban context of Bunia and Rwampara, intense population movement, and mining-related dynamics in Mongwalu,” the agency said.
How does Ebola spread?
The Ebola virus is highly contagious and the disease it causes is often fatal to humans.
It spreads through direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids and causes symptoms such as fever, vomiting, body aches and diarrhea.
The virus is endemic to the tropical forests of Congo, where it was first detected in 1976.
This is the African country’s 17th outbreak since then. The previous outbreak, which led to 43 deaths, was declared about five months ago.
Congo is the continent’s second-largest country by land area, and the limited road network in some areas makes it extremely challenging for local health authorities to respond to outbreaks.
At the same time, the country is battling various armed groups in the east, including the M23 rebel group, which has taken over major cities, and the Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic Forces terrorist group.
More than 2,000 people died in Congo’s deadliest Ebola outbreak between 2018 and 2020.
Edited by: Dmytro Lyubenko