Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo say there’s been a new Ebola outbreak in the western city of Mbandaka – adding to another epidemic of the virus that has raged in the east of the massive central African country since 2018.
Six cases have been detected, four of which have died in the city. Mbandaka is a trading hub of one and a half million people on the Congo River with regular transport links to the capital Kinshasa.
The new outbreak is Congo’s eleventh since the virus was discovered near the Ebola River in 1976.
The virus causes hemorrhagic fever and is spread through direct contact with body fluids from an infected person, who suffers severe vomiting and diarrhoea.
Ebola adding strain to battle against COVID-19
The World Health Organisation has expressed concern over the Ebola outbreak in the central African country.
This as the country is still fighting against the coronavirus pandemic, which has at this point claimed over 70 lives in the DRC.
The country currently sits at 3 192 cases, 454 recoveries and 72 deaths.
In the video below, World Health Organisation Director Tedros Adnahom says the global health body will continue supporting the DRC in tackling the Ebola outbreak and COVID-19:
