Continental health officials announced Friday that an Ebola outbreak has been verified in the Ituri province of Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention released a statement indicating they are organizing an emergency meeting with Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and international partners to strengthen border monitoring, preparedness and response measures.
Officials reported approximately 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths, primarily concentrated in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, with four fatalities confirmed among laboratory-verified cases.
Preliminary research indicates the presence of a non-Zaire strain of the virus, with genetic analysis continuing to provide further identification.
“Africa CDC is concerned about the risk of further spread due to the urban context of Bunia and Rwampara, intense population movement, mining-related mobility in Mongwalu,” the agency stated.
The Ebola virus causes a serious and frequently deadly disease. According to the Africa CDC, transmission occurs through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals, contaminated objects or those who have died from the illness.
