New Ebola outbreak confirmed in Congo, 65 suspected deaths

At least 65 people are dead out of about 250 suspected cases in a confirmed Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, Africa's top public health agency announced May 15.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement that it was convening an urgent meeting with Congo and two of its bordering countries, Uganda and South Sudan, as well as global partners, to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and response efforts.

Africa's health agency said the deaths and suspected cases had been reported mainly in the Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, while four deaths had been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases. Suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia, the provincial capital.

Initial findings suggested the presence of a non-Zaire strain of the virus, with sequencing ongoing to further characterize it, the agency reported.

Ebola is a severe and often-fatal illness that is endemic to Congo's vast tropical forests.

Without treatment, up to 90% of Ebola cases are fatal, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"There are currently no confirmed Ebola cases in the United States that CDC is aware of," a CDC spokesperson told USA TODAY on May 15.

CDC 'closely monitoring' Ebola in Congo and Uganda

National Institute of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya said the CDC was "closely monitoring" the Ebola reports in the Democratic Republic of Congo as well as in Uganda, where he said the government there also confirmed an outbreak earlier on May 15.

During a press conference, he said the CDC was working with minister of health in those countries to track the disease and to support response efforts.

"We are providing technical assistance to the countries. It is a large outbreak," Bhattacharya told reporters. "We are going to provide whatever they need that we are capable of providing them."

He said the CDC has offices in both countries that are “well staffed" and will mobilize more help as needed.

"The key thing here is that we are absolutely involved," Bhattacharya said. "The philosophy is that if we have a safe world, if we have a world where we can address these needs like the Ebola outbreak, we also have a safer America where the risks and outbreaks that happen in the rest of the world, we reduce the risk of them coming here."

All but one of Congo's previous outbreaks caused by Zaire strain

Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the Congolese virologist who co-discovered Ebola and heads the National Institute for Biomedical Research in Kinshasa, told Reuters all but one of Congo's 16 previous outbreaks had been caused by the Zaire strain.

The identification of a different variant will complicate the response, he said, as existing treatments and vaccines were developed against the Zaire strain.

"Africa CDC is concerned about the risk of further spread due to the urban context of Bunia and Rwampara" as well as "intense population movement" and mobility related to mining in the affected areas, which are close to Uganda and South Sudan, the agency added.

Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya, in a statement, said it was essential for "rapid regional coordination given the high population movement between affected areas and neighbouring countries."

The outbreak marks the 17th in Congo since Ebola was first identified there in the mid-70s. The country's most recent outbreak, in Kasai province, lasted for three months and left 45 people dead and dozens sickened. It was declared over December 1.

How Ebola is contracted

Ebola is caused by an infection and not an airborne disease. It requires direct contact with bodily fluids with an infected person or through contaminated materials, according to the CDC.

It can also spread through people who have died from the disease or through contact with an infected animal, including a bat or primate.

Symptoms of Ebola

According to the CDC, Ebola mounts a rapid, full-scale attack on nearly every system of the body.

The virus can cause kidney and liver failure along with respiratory failure. Symptoms from Ebola differ depending on how long it has been since the person become infected. The CDC reports that initial symptom onset varies from 2 to 21 days after exposure, but typically unfolds in waves.

The first symptoms, which usually appear about five days after exposure, include:

• Rash
• Chest pain
• Sore throat
• Fatigue

Symptoms 8 to 12 days after exposure include:

• High fever
• Loss of appetite
• Red eyes
• Blood in stool

Symptoms 10 days after exposure include:

• Seizures
• Shortness of breath
• Confusion
• Internal bleeding

How is Ebola treated?

Ebloa is treated through IV fluids and other medicine for blood pressure, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and pain.

There are FDA-approved treatments for Ebola, but they are only effective against the Zaire strain and should only be administered to patients "who meet specific criteria," according to the CDC. The treatment neutralizes the virus and blocks its ability to enter and infect healthy cells.

There is also an FDA-approved vaccine for Ebola which the CDC recommends for adults who are at potential risk of exposure to the virus.

Ituri hit by militia clashes

The new outbreak in Africa is unfolding against the backdrop of a deepening security crisis in Ituri, where clashes between rival militia groups have killed scores of civilians in recent weeks.

The violence has worsened an already dire humanitarian situation, leaving health facilities overwhelmed or non-functional in parts of the province, Médecins Sans Frontières said earlier in May. The medical charity warned of catastrophic hygiene conditions in displacement sites raising the risk of disease outbreaks.

(Reporting by Erikas Mwisi, Nilutpal Timsina and Clement Bonnerot; Editing by Alexander Winning, Robbie Corey-Boulet and Alex Richardson)