Eastern Congo has new Ebola case in city of 1.4 million

BENI, Congo – Congo health officials say that a case of Ebola has been discovered in Butembo, a city of 1.4 million people in the country’s northeast.

Jessica Ilunga, a Ministry of Health communication officer, said Wednesday that Congo’s government and the U.N. World Health Organization are taking immediate steps to contain the new Ebola case in the urban area.

Butembo is the largest city in Congo’s North Kivu province and health experts worry that the contagious Ebola could spread rapidly among its dense population.

Since August 1 the current Ebola outbreak has seen 93 confirmed cases which have caused 54 deaths.

Health workers have started a vaccination campaign but they have been hindered by sporadic attacks by rebel militias operating in the eastern Congo region.