The Democratic Republic of Congo has declared a new outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus, three years after its last one.
The health ministry has confirmed 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four health workers.
According to reports, the outbreak was first detected in Kasai Province, after a pregnant woman developed severe symptoms including high fever and vomiting, who later died.
Those who were also affected were individuals who cared for her and died too.
Ebola is a rare but often fatal illness in humans.
It spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people or animals, and even with contaminated objects.
The World Health Organization or WHO is warning that case numbers may rise as transmission still continues.
However, the organization declared that the country is prepared, with 2,000 doses of the Ervebo Ebola vaccine ready to be shipped, along with a stockpile of treatments.
Moreover, a national Rapid Response team, joined by WHO, has also been deployed to mitigate the virus, with readily available medical equipment and supplies.
Previously, Congo has battled more than a dozen Ebola outbreaks in the past.
Its most devastating cases were from 2018 to 2020, killing over 2,000 people.
Meanwhile, the country’s most recent outbreak was in 2022.