65 dead after Ebola outbreak rocks the DRC - as public health emergency declared
65 people have died and there are 246 suspected cases in a confirmed ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
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Africa's top public health agency said on Friday that the outbreak was in the country's Ituri province, mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement that it was convening an urgent meeting with Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and response efforts to the outbreak.
The agency said initial findings suggested the presence of a non-Zaire strain of the virus, with sequencing ongoing to further characterise it.
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"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," it added.
Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness.
It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials or persons who have died from the disease, the Africa CDC said.