Ebola case reported in rebel-held
Photo: Moses Sawasawa/AP/TT

Ebola case reported in rebel-held area of Congo-Kinshasa

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to an area in South Kivu province controlled by the M23 rebel movement, a spokesperson for the group said.

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Attempts to control the spread of the infection - which has prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare an international emergency - are being complicated by the various conflicts in the country, including the one between the M23 and government forces.

The rebel movement, with support from neighboring Rwanda, has taken control of large areas of land in eastern Congo-Kinshasa, where it has also established its own administration. However, the armed group has not previously had to deal with a serious epidemic of this kind.

The virus is estimated to have caused 160 deaths out of around 671 suspected cases in the country so far. The outbreak began in Ituri province in northeastern Congo-Kinshasa.

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AuthorTT News AgencyEnglish edition by Sweden Herald, adapted for our readers
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