New outbreak of Ebola kills 65 in eastern DR Congo
Ebola has caused an outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern Ituri province. Around 246 cases and 65 deaths have been reported, mainly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara, said the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa). Of the 65 deaths, four were reported among lab-confirmed cases, CDC Africa said.
Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now DR Congo, and is thought to have spread from bats. This is the 17th outbreak of the deadly viral disease in the country. Preliminary tests conducted at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the capital, Kinshasa, have detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples analysed, following consultations with DR Congo's Ministry of Health and National Public Institute. Additional suspected cases have also been reported in Ituri's provincial capital, Bunia, with laboratory confirmation pending. Ituri has been under military rule since 2021. Around 50,000 people have died from the virus in different African countries over the past 50 years. DR Congo's deadliest outbreak was between 2018 and 2020, during which nearly 2,300 people died. Last year, 45 people died after an outbreak in the central Kasai province.
CDC Africa said on Friday that it was convening a meeting with DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and other international partners to discuss response efforts and cross-border surveillance. The Congolese government has not yet officially declared an outbreak, but a staffer told the BBC a press conference was expected later on Friday.
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The Africa CDC has reported a new Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province. With dozens of deaths already reported, health officials are scrambling - but what challenges will they face?
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