In brief
The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a serious Ebola outbreak in the Ituri province, with an alarming count of 246 cases and 80 deaths reported by the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This marks the 17th outbreak since Ebola was first discovered in the region in 1976, and Uganda has confirmed a case of imported Ebola, further stressing the urgency to contain the virus.
Africa's top health agency has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern Ituri province.
Around 246 cases and 80 deaths have been reported, mainly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara, said the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
Ugandan officials confirmed one case of imported Ebola from DR Congo on Friday, with the country's health ministry stating that a 59-year-old male who died on Thursday had tested positive.
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.
It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids and through broken skin, causing severe bleeding and organ failure.
Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash, and bleeding.
There is no proven cure for Ebola. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the average fatality rate is around 50%.
Preliminary tests conducted at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in Kinshasa have detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples analysed. Tests are also being carried out to identify the strain of the virus.
The emergence of the virus in urban settings raises concerns, particularly due to the mobility of populations and the presence of mining activities.
The Congolese government has yet to officially declare an outbreak and is convening a meeting with relevant authorities to discuss response efforts and regional coordination.
