Six new Ebola cases have been recorded in areas of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) controlled by AFC/M23 rebels, the group said, days after the only previously known active case in rebel-held territory was discharged.
The Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebels control large parts of North and South Kivu provinces after staging a lightning offensive last year.
The rebels declared areas under their control Ebola-free in late June, having previously recorded only four cases, but a new case was confirmed in Kayna health zone in North Kivu in early September. That patient was discharged on Tuesday after spending 26 days at the Ebola treatment centre there.
Two new cases were detected in Kayna health zone and four in neighbouring Alimbongo health zone this Friday, the rebels said in a statement.
The two health zones are near Lubero, close to the front line with government forces.
Epidemiological investigations showed the six cases were part of the same chain of transmission stemming from a case that came from the city of Butembo in government-held territory, according to the statement.
Four of the cases were identified through post-mortem testing of people who died in the community, while the other two patients are receiving treatment, the rebels said.
Efforts are underway to identify and trace contacts, the statement added.
The Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC was declared on May 15 and has now caused more than 4 000 deaths among 8 300 confirmed cases, according to government data released on Friday.
–Reuters–
