A fresh Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is feared to have killed at least 33 people.
Officials in the African nation have confirmed three deaths so far but believe the virus – considered one of the most lethal pathogens in existence – is responsible for scores more.
A mass vaccination campaign will begin this week to stem the outbreak, which comes two weeks after the DRC declared the end of another one, considered a ‘public health emergency’.
Virologists feared that outbreak was ‘reminiscent’ of the 2014 Ebola pandemic, which decimated West Africa and killed 11,000 people.
But the new outbreak in the East of the DRC is on track to dwarf the one that sparked international panic in earlier this summer in the North West.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed 13 cases of Ebola in North Kivu Province – which borders Uganda and Rwanda. Another 25 are probable.
Officials in the African nation have confirmed three 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)
A further five probable cases have been noted in Ituri Province – which also borders Uganda and shares a crossing with South Sudan.
Officials are currently testing 33 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.
Three healthcare workers have been struck down by Ebola, of whom one has died.
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 the district of Mangina, 18 miles (30km) west of the city of Beni.
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 will begin this week, 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 also feared to have died in that outbreak, which began 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, which can cause severe bleeding.
Experimental vaccine
Officials hailed the use of an experimental vaccine called as rVSV-ZEBOV in stemming the Ebola outbreak in northwestern Congo 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.