Health authorities in Africa have confirmed a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, with at least 65 deaths already recorded.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) announced on Friday that 246 suspected cases had so far been identified in Ituri Province, where the outbreak was detected.
The agency said four of the fatalities were among laboratory-confirmed Ebola cases.
In a statement shared on social media, Africa CDC said it was working with authorities in DR Congo and neighbouring countries to prevent the disease from spreading across borders.
“Africa CDC is closely monitoring the situation and convening an urgent high-level coordination meeting with the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to strengthen surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response,” the agency stated.
The latest outbreak has triggered fresh concerns in the region due to Ebola’s high fatality rate and history of devastating epidemics in Central Africa.
Ebola is a contagious haemorrhagic fever transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons. The disease can lead to severe bleeding, organ failure, and death.
Scientists first identified the virus in 1976, with bats believed to be its natural host.
Over the last 50 years, Ebola outbreaks across Africa have killed about 15,000 people.
The Democratic Republic of Congo remains one of the countries most affected by the disease. Its worst outbreak, which occurred between 2018 and 2020, claimed nearly 2,300 lives.
Health officials are now intensifying surveillance and response efforts to contain the latest outbreak before it spreads further within the region.