A new outbreak of the highly contagious Ebola virus has killed dozens of people in a remote part of Congo, according to health authorities. It comes as the country battles several armed groups.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement on Friday that 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases had been recorded so far in the remote Ituri province.
The health body said it was convening an urgent meeting with Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and response efforts.
It said the cases had mainly been reported in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, with four deaths among laboratory-confirmed cases.
"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 added.
The Ebola virus is highly contagious and the disease it causes is often fatal for humans.
It is transmitted through direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids and causes symptoms such as fever, vomiting, body aches and diarrhoea .
The virus is endemic to Congo's tropical forests, where it was first detected in 1976.
This is the African country's 17th outbreak since then. The last outbreak, which caused 43 deaths, was declared over around five months ago.
Congo is the continent's second-largest country by land area, and limited road networks in some areas make it immensely 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 occupied key cities, and the Islamic State-linked Allied Democratic Force militant group.
Congo's deadliest Ebola outbreak between 2018 and 2020 killed more than 2,000 people.
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