New Ebola outbreak in DR Congo kills 65

Africa's top health agency has confirmed a new outbreak of the Ebola virus in the eastern Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo .

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), around 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported so far . The outbreak is centred in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara, with suspected cases also reported in Ituri's provincial capital, Bunia .

Preliminary laboratory tests conducted at the National Institute of Biomedical Research in the capital Kinshasa have detected the Ebola virus in 13 of 20 samples analysed . Among the 65 deaths, four have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases .

Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now DR Congo. This marks the 17th outbreak of the deadly viral disease in the country .

The Africa CDC has expressed concern over the high risk of further spread due to intense population movement, mining-related mobility, insecurity in the affected areas, and the proximity of the affected zones to neighbouring Uganda and South Sudan .

In response, an urgent high-level coordination meeting was convened on Friday with health authorities from DR Congo, Uganda and South Sudan, along with international partners including the World Health Organization, to strengthen cross-border surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response efforts .

Ebola is a severe, often fatal illness. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated materials . Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, headache and sore throat, followed by vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding . According to the World Health Organization, the average fatality rate is around 50 per cent .

The Congolese government has not yet officially declared an outbreak. A press conference was expected later on Friday .