Authorities are intensifying efforts to control a deadly Ebola outbreak in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where no fewer than 65 lives have been lost while hundreds of others are believed to have contracted the virus.
Data released by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that about 246 suspected infections have been identified so far, heightening concerns that the disease may extend beyond Congo’s frontiers.
Early laboratory analysis detected Ebola in 13 of the 20 samples tested, as researchers continue investigations to determine the specific variant responsible for the outbreak.
Ituri province remains the most affected region, with four confirmed fatalities recorded through laboratory testing. Possible cases have also been detected in Bunia city.
On Friday, regional health authorities convened an emergency meeting with representatives from Uganda and South Sudan amid growing fears of cross-border spread fueled by mining operations, human movement, and instability in impacted areas.
The World Health Organization together with pharmaceutical firms such as Merck & Co., Johnson & Johnson and Moderna are supporting response measures to tackle the outbreak.
Ebola is a dangerous and frequently deadly illness transmitted through direct exposure to bodily fluids, contaminated objects, or infected persons.