Ebola outbreak kills 65 in DR Congo

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A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, African health authorities said Friday.

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Some 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported, and “four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases,” the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) said in a statement on social media.

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“Ebola Virus Disease outbreak confirmed in Ituri Province,” the pan-African health agency said.

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“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,” it said.

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First identified in 1976 and thought to have crossed over from bats, Ebola is a deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, causing severe bleeding and organ failure.

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The highly contagious haemorrhagic fever has killed some 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.

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

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AFP

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