Ebola reaches eighth province in DR Congo as officials report two North Ubangi cases
Two health officials say Ebola has reached North Ubangi, bordering Central African Republic, as the outbreak exceeds 9,000 confirmed cases and 4,000 deaths.
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Two health officials said on Thursday that Ebola had reached North Ubangi province, which borders Central African Republic, adding another obstacle to containment efforts. They reported two confirmed cases that Congolese authorities had not yet publicly announced.
Suspected deaths prompt testing
A North Ubangi health official told Reuters on Thursday that several suspected Ebola deaths had recently occurred at a mining site within the Wapinda health zone, near the Bas-Uele border. The deaths prompted laboratory analysis of samples both in the province and in Kinshasa.
North Ubangi is now the eighth affected province in the outbreak involving the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. Announced in mid-May, the outbreak has grown into the second largest recorded, with confirmed totals of more than 9,000 cases and over 4,000 deaths.
Infections across several provinces
Ituri remains the outbreak’s epicentre, while North Kivu has recently recorded an increase in cases. Infections have also been confirmed in Tshopo, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Haut-Uele and South Ubangi.
Cases beyond Congo
The outbreak has also led to infections in Uganda and Kenya. Uganda was declared free of Ebola in August.
Kenya reported its first Ebola infection earlier this month. On Wednesday, it announced another case involving a close family member of the first person infected.
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