ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AFP) — A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus has been declared in Ituri province in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a region hit by armed conflict, African health authorities said Friday.

Four deaths linked to the virus have been confirmed through laboratory testing, while 246 suspected cases — including 65 deaths — have been recorded, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“Ebola Virus Disease outbreak confirmed in Ituri Province,” Africa CDC said in a statement.

First identified in 1976 and believed to have originated in bats, Ebola is a deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids and it can cause severe bleeding and organ failure.

The highly contagious haemorrhagic fever has killed an estimated 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years, despite advances in vaccines and treatment.

The deadliest Ebola outbreak in the DRC, between 2018 and 2020, killed nearly 2,300 people.

The Africa CDC said results from 13 of 20 samples tested in the DRC capital, Kinshasa, indicated that “four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases”.

The initial results also “suggest a non-Zaire ebolavirus” strain, but further sequencing is ongoing and results are expected to be released within 24 hours.

The Zaire ebolavirus — the deadliest strain with a case fatality rate of 80 to 90 per cent — is the only variant for which an approved vaccine currently exists.

The health agency said it was “closely monitoring the situation and convening an urgent high-level coordination meeting today with the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response efforts”.

It expressed worry of further spread due to intense population movement, insecurity in affected areas and the proximity of affected areas to Uganda and South Sudan.

“Rapid regional coordination is essential,” Jean Kaseya, the director general of Africa CDC, said.

The first cases were reported in Mongwalu and Rwampara health zones, each of which has around 150,000 inhabitants.

The Mongwalu area lies about 90 kilometres (56 miles) from Bunia, the Ituri provincial capital, while Rwampara is adjacent to the Bunia urban area.

Other cases have also been detected in Bunia, which has an estimated population of 300,000, and are awaiting confirmation.

The current Ebola outbreak is the 17th in the DRC since the virus was first detected in the country.

It follows a recent outbreak in August in the central region that killed at least 34 people before being declared eradicated in December.

Guinea, Uganda and Sierra Leone have also seen Ebola outbreaks in recent years.

The virus is contagious only when symptoms appear after an incubation period of two to 21 days.

The eastern DRC has been plagued by violence for more than three decades.

In Ituri province, a gold-rich region bordering Uganda, recurrent clashes driven by local militias, have persisted for years.