Ebola Confirmed in DR Congo's Ituri Province as Death Toll Rises.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has confirmed an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in Ituri Province, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

According to a statement posted on social media by the pan-African health agency, health authorities have so far reported 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths. Among these, four deaths have been confirmed by laboratory testing.

In response to the growing health threat, Africa CDC said it is closely monitoring the situation. The agency is convening an urgent high-level coordination meeting today, bringing together officials from the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan, and global partners. The goal is to strengthen cross-border surveillance, enhance preparedness, and coordinate outbreak response efforts.

Background on Ebola

First identified in 1976 and believed to have originated from bats, Ebola is a deadly viral disease. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person or animal, leading to severe internal bleeding and organ failure.

The highly contagious hemorrhagic fever has claimed an estimated 15,000 lives across Africa over the past five decades.

The DRC has experienced multiple outbreaks, with the deadliest occurring between 2018 and 2020, which killed nearly 2,300 people.