Congo Declares New Ebola Outbreak After Man Dies, WHO Says

The Democratic Republic of Congo has declared an Ebola outbreak after a 31-year-old man in Mbandaka in the north western province of Equateur who died was found to be infected.

The man began experiencing symptoms on April 5 and on April 21 was admitted to an Ebola treatment center for intensive care but succumbed to the virus later that day. Investigations have begun into the source of the outbreak, the World Health Organization said in a statement on Saturday.

“Time is not on our side,” said Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s regional director for Africa. “The disease has had a two-week head start and we are now playing catch-up.”

The outbreak is the third in the province since 2018 and Congo’s 14th since 1976.