ADDIS ABABA: A deadly outbreak of the Ebola virus has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, African health authorities said Friday.

Some 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths have been reported and "four deaths have been reported among laboratory-confirmed cases," the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) said in a statement on social media.

"Ebola Virus Disease outbreak confirmed in Ituri Province," the pan-African health agency said.

"Africa CDC is closely monitoring the situation and convening an urgent high-level coordination meeting today with the DRC, Uganda, South Sudan and global partners to reinforce cross-border surveillance, preparedness and outbreak response efforts," it said.

First identified in 1976 and thought to have crossed over from bats, Ebola is a deadly viral disease spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, causing severe bleeding and organ failure.

The highly contagious haemorrhagic fever has killed some 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.

The deadliest Ebola outbreak in the DRC, between 2018 and 2020, killed nearly 2,300 people.

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Deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo: Health agency