The Ebola death toll in the Democratic Republic of Congo is now feared to have hit 36 amid a fresh outbreak in the African nation.
Officials have confirmed nine deaths so far but believe the virus – one of the most lethal pathogens in existence – is responsible for scores more.
A mass vaccination campaign began today to stem the outbreak in the east of the country, which comes two weeks after the DRC declared the end of another one.
Virologists feared the previous outbreak in north west DRC was ‘reminiscent’ of the 2014 Ebola pandemic, which decimated West Africa and killed 11,000 people.
Officials in the African nation have confirmed nine deaths so far (pictured: Doctors Without Borders team members walk through an Ebola security zone at the entrance of a hospital in DR Congo, where a fresh outbreak of the virus was declared in the east of the country)
The DRC’s Ministry of Public Health yesterday tweeted there have been 36 deaths – but the World Health Organization claim the toll is 34.
Health officials have also confirmed 16 cases of Ebola in North Kivu Province, which borders Uganda and Rwanda. Another 25 are probable.
A further two probable cases have been noted in Ituri Province, which also borders Uganda and shares a crossing with South Sudan.
Officials are currently testing 46 other suspected cases in the laboratory to either confirm or exclude EVD.
EVD, caused by the virus with its namesake, kills around 50 per cent of people it strikes – but there is no proven treatment available.
Two healthcare workers have been struck down by Ebola, of whom one has died.
Genetic analysis has confirmed the virus strain in this latest outbreak is the Zaire strain, the same as the one earlier this summer.
However, Peter Salama, WHO deputy director for emergency preparedness and response, said it is genetically different.
The unsafe burial of a 65-year-old Ebola sufferer triggered the latest outbreak in the DRC, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
After she was buried members of her family began to display symptoms of the virus ‘and seven of them died’.
Most of the cases have been recorded in Mangina in Mabalako, 18 miles (30km) west of the trading hub of Beni, where 230,000 people live.

Health officials have also confirmed 16 cases of Ebola in North Kivu Province, which borders Uganda and Rwanda. Another 25 are probable
But healthcare workers have been told they will have to navigate their response among more than 100 armed groups.
A WHO spokesperson said: ‘This is an active conflict zone. The major barrier will be safely accessing the affected population.’
The outbreak earlier this summer
Vaccinations began today, following the success of the jabs in Equateur province, which two weeks ago declared the end of an Ebola flare-up.
Some 33 people were feared to have died in that outbreak, which started in the poorly-connected region of Ikoko-Impenge and Bikoro.
It travelled 80 miles (130km) north to Mbandaka, a port city on the river Congo – an essential waterway – with around 1.2 million inhabitants.
There was a concern it would spread to Kinshasa – 364 miles (586km) south on the river, which has an international airport and 12 million people residents.
Dr Derek Gatherer, a virologist from Lancaster University, warned the outbreak earlier this summer was ‘reminiscent’ of the 2014 Ebola pandemic.
All neighbouring countries were alerted about the outbreak of Ebola before it was declared over amid fears it could spread easily.
Experimental vaccine
Officials hailed the use of an experimental vaccine, called rVSV-ZEBOV, in stemming the Ebola outbreak in North West DRC in July.
More than 3,000 doses remain in stock in Kinshasa, allowing authorities to quickly deploy it to the affected areas near the Ugandan border.
Barthe Ndjoloko, who oversees the health ministry’s Ebola response, said officials are working round-the-clock to identify those who may be infected.
He revealed the vaccination campaign will focus on healthcare workers and those who have come into contact with confirmed cases.
The 2014 international response to the Ebola pandemic drew criticism for moving too slowly and prompted an apology from the WHO.
But international aid teams have moved much quicker in response this time – with vaccination campaigns already underway in several regions.