At least 118 people have died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, local officials said on Monday, as the virus continues to spread across new parts of the country and into neighbouring Uganda.
More than 390 suspected cases have been recorded, with authorities warning that infections are now being reported over a wider geographic area, including Nyakunde in Ituri Province, Butembo in North Kivu and the city of Goma.
Congolese officials say response teams are tracing contacts and investigating suspected infections, urging the public to remain calm as concern grows over the expanding footprint of the virus.
The World Health Organisation has declared the Bundibugyo‑strain outbreak an international health emergency.
The same strain has also been confirmed in Uganda where two cases and one death have been reported, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ebola has repeatedly struck both countries over the past two decades, with cross‑border movement and fragile health systems complicating containment efforts.
JN/APA