KINSHASA: The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that a new Ebola case has been confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), increasing the total number of cases in the nation to 14 since the disease's 14th outbreak was declared in April.

According to state media reports, the Congolese Health Ministry "confirmed a third case of Ebola in Mbandaka on Wednesday." The WHO Regional Office for Africa tweeted on Thursday, "The 48-year-old male was a high-risk contact of the initial case," adding that 444 contact cases had been discovered.

After the first case was verified in Mbandaka, the capital of the DRC's northern province of Equateur, a city on the Congo River, the DRC proclaimed its 14th Ebola epidemic on April 23. After presenting symptoms, the first two verified cases, who were relatives, died.

The current outbreak is the country's sixth in as many years, making it the most common in the country's Ebola history. According to the WHO, previous outbreaks in Equateur province occurred in 2020 and 2018, with 130 and 54 cases reported, respectively.

In December 2021, the Democratic Republic of Congo declared the end of its 13th Ebola outbreak, which had resulted in eight confirmed and three probable cases, as well as six deaths in North Kivu region.

Historically, Since 1976, the DRC has experienced 14 Ebola outbreaks.

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