New Ebola case confirmed in rebel-held area in DR Congo's South Kivu province

A new case of Ebola virus disease has been confirmed in a rebel-held area in the Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province, the M23 rebel group announced Thursday.

In a statement, the M23 said the infection involved a 28-year-old man in Miti-Murhesa health zone, in Kabare territory, about 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) north of the provincial capital Bukavu.

The patient, who had traveled from Kisangani in the eastern Tshopo province, died before the diagnosis was confirmed and was buried in accordance with existing health protocols to avoid risk of community spread, it said.

So far, no Ebola case has been reported in Tshopo Province.

The M23 said that samples of more than 200 suspected cases have been collected in areas under its control and sent to North Kivu's capital Goma for laboratory analysis.

One confirmed case remains under strict medical supervision in Goma, while identified contacts have been isolated.

The disease outbreak was officially declared on May 15 in eastern Congo's Ituri province.

Since then, Congolese health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reported about 600 suspected cases and 139 probable deaths.

The outbreak, first reported mainly in Ituri province, has since expanded to North Kivu and now South Kivu. Two imported cases involving Congolese citizens were reported in neighboring Uganda.

Last Sunday, the WHO declared the Ebola outbreak a global health emergency following a surge in the number of suspected infections and deaths in eastern Congo.

Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often fatal illness. It spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons, contaminated materials, or persons who have died from the disease.