The World Health Organisation says the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo may already have spread beyond its borders into other provinces, raising concerns over wider transmission. The warning was issued on Tuesday as health officials stepped up surveillance efforts in affected areas.
WHO representative Anne Ancia said investigations suggest the virus has disseminated beyond the initial epicentre in Ituri province, describing the area as insecure with high population movement that is complicating containment efforts. She also said cases had been detected in South Kivu province.
The outbreak has killed at least 131 people, with more than 513 suspected cases recorded in Congo. There are also reports of cross-border transmission into Uganda, where at least one death has been confirmed.
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The WHO says it has declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, while cautioning that the scale of infections may be higher than reported, with some studies estimating more than 1,000 possible cases.
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