An Ebola outbreak in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has killed 65 people and infected hundreds of others, triggering concerns that the disease could spread across borders.

 

About 246 people are suspected of having Ebola, with regional health officials convening an urgent meeting today to coordinate a response, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said.

 

The Centre said that the preliminary testing detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples, with sequencing underway to determine the strain.

 

Four deaths were among laboratory-confirmed cases in Ituri province, while suspected infections have also been reported in the city of Bunia.

 

Risks of the disease spreading are heightened due to population movements related to the mining industry, as well as insecurity in affected areas, gaps in contact tracing and the proximity of affected regions to Uganda and South Sudan, the Africa CDC said.