A fresh outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus has been confirmed in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, raising fresh concerns among health authorities across Africa.
The development was announced on Friday by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), which disclosed that hundreds of suspected cases and dozens of deaths had already been recorded.
According to the health agency, at least 246 suspected cases linked to the outbreak have been identified, while 65 deaths have so far been reported.
The agency further confirmed that four of the deaths occurred among laboratory-confirmed Ebola patients.
In a statement, Africa CDC said the outbreak had been officially confirmed in Ituri Province, an area located in eastern DR Congo.
“Ebola Virus Disease outbreak confirmed in Ituri Province,” the agency stated.
The pan-African health body added that it was closely monitoring the situation and had convened an emergency high-level coordination meeting involving authorities from DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan, and international partners to strengthen cross-border surveillance and emergency response measures.
“Africa CDC is closely monitoring the situation and convening an urgent high-level coordination meeting today with the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response efforts,” the statement added.
Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease believed to have first crossed into humans from bats. The virus was first identified in 1976 and spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons.
The disease is known for causing severe bleeding, organ failure, and high fatality rates, especially in areas with weak healthcare systems.
Over the last five decades, Ebola outbreaks across Africa have claimed an estimated 15,000 lives.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has experienced several outbreaks over the years, including one of the deadliest between 2018 and 2020, which killed nearly 2,300 people.
Health authorities are now racing to contain the latest outbreak and prevent its spread to neighbouring countries amid growing fears of a wider regional health emergency.
