Health officials raise alarm over new Ebola outbreak in DR Congo

U.S. health officials are monitoring reports of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and providing technical assistance to their governments, the acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday.



Africa's top public health agency said on Friday there was a confirmed Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, with 65 deaths out of 246 suspected cases so far, and Uganda's health ministry said a Congolese man had died in Kampala of Ebola Bundibugyo.



"CDC has extensive experience and expertise in responding to Ebola outbreaks, and we are working closely with the DRC Ministry of Health through our country office to support our response efforts," said CDC Acting Director Jay Bhattacharya.



The CDC also heard from the government of Uganda on Friday confirming an Ebola outbreak there, he said, and added that its country office is helping to track and respond to the outbreak there, Bhattacharya told reporters on a media call.