Ebola reaches sixth DR Congo province, raising South Sudan risk
An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to a sixth province, raising fears it could cross into South Sudan. The outbreak is on track to become the country's deadliest on record. Declared on 15 May, the outbreak has killed more than 2,128 people out of 4,566 confirmed cases, according to authorities. A person died in northern Bas-Uele province after travelling from neighbouring Haut-Uele, Africa CDC head Jean Kaseya said on Thursday. The outbreak is spreading at an unprecedented rate, with seven times more cases recorded in its first three months than the 2014 West Africa epidemic. Mercy Corps warned confirmed cases sit just 35 kilometres from the South Sudan border along high-risk travel corridors. The response is hampered by stretched health services, insecurity, and weak government presence in densely populated provinces. North Kivu and South Kivu are split by front lines between the army and M23 rebels.