Africa’s top public health agency is moving to coordinate a regional response after a new Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo killed at least 65 people, according to a BBC report.

The outbreak has been reported mainly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara in Ituri province.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said around 246 cases had been identified and confirmed that emergency discussions were being held with DR Congo, Uganda, South Sudan and international partners to strengthen surveillance and containment efforts.

According to preliminary laboratory tests carried out by DR Congo’s Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB), 13 of 20 samples tested positive for the Ebola virus, while additional testing is underway to determine the strain involved. The World Health Organization says Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.

Health officials have expressed concern over the risk of wider transmission because several affected areas are urban centers or mining hubs with significant population movement.

Africa CDC Director-General Dr Jean Kaseya warned that mobility between eastern DR Congo and neighboring countries increases the need for regional coordination and rapid response systems.

Additional suspected cases have also been reported in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, with laboratory confirmation still pending. Authorities have advised residents in affected communities to follow guidance from national health officials as monitoring and response operations continue.

The outbreak marks DR Congo’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976. The country previously faced its deadliest outbreak between 2018 and 2020, when nearly 2,300 people died, according to Africa CDC.