Ebola outbreak kills 65 in DR Congo

A fresh Ebola outbreak has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with at least 65 deaths and hundreds of suspected cases recorded, African health authorities said on Friday.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said a total of 246 suspected cases have been reported so far, alongside four confirmed deaths among laboratory-verified infections.

In a statement shared on social media, the agency confirmed the outbreak in Ituri Province, describing the situation as serious and requiring urgent regional coordination.

It said it was closely monitoring developments and had convened an emergency high-level meeting with the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan and global health partners to strengthen cross-border surveillance and response efforts.

Ebola virus disease is a severe and often fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. It typically causes fever, internal bleeding and organ failure.

First identified in 1976, the virus is believed to have originated from animals, particularly bats, and has since caused repeated outbreaks across Africa.

According to health records, Ebola has killed about 15,000 people on the continent over the past five decades.

The DRC has been one of the hardest-hit countries, including a major outbreak between 2018 and 2020 that claimed nearly 2,300 lives.