According to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported, including four deaths among laboratory-confirmed cases.

The pan-African health agency said the outbreak was confirmed in Ituri Province.

“Africa CDC is closely monitoring the situation and convening an urgent high-level coordination meeting today with the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response efforts,” the agency said in a statement shared on social media.

Ebola remains one of Africa’s deadliest diseases

First identified in 1976 and believed to have originated from bats, Ebola is a highly contagious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids. The disease can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.

Over the past 50 years, Ebola outbreaks have claimed around 15,000 lives across Africa.

The deadliest Ebola outbreak recorded in the DRC occurred between 2018 and 2020, killing nearly 2,300 people.