5 June

A fresh Ebola outbreak has hit the central African country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo where a power struggle is under way between the government and militia.

The government said on Monday that six people have been confirmed infected with Ebola in Equateur province in the country's northwestern region. It added that four of them died.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, noted that the new Ebola outbreak is happening at a challenging time when the country is also fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

By Sunday, the country had confirmed 3,195 coronavirus cases, mainly in the capital Kinshasa. Seventy-two have died.

Meanwhile, an Ebola outbreak that started two years ago in eastern North Kivu and other provinces in the Congo is believed to be in its final phase. The World Health Organization estimates the outbreak has so far killed 2,280 people.

NHK