Congolese officials confirm 2nd death from Ebola in the east

Officials say a second case and death of Ebola have been recorded in Congo’s North Kivu region

BENI, Congo – A second case and death of Ebola have been recorded in Congo’s North Kivu region, according to officials.

The health ministry said it has sent authorities to the health zones of Biena and Katwa to find more than 100 contacts.

Health officials had confirmed an Ebola case on Sunday in another woman who was from the city of Biena and died in Butembo.

The governor’s representative in the Biena health field, Longs Mabanga Julio, said both cases have created panic and harassment among the residents.

Syalita, the provincial health minister, said the body of the second victim was treated by members of the community before being buried, growing concerns about dispersal in the area. Ebola is spread through body fluids, and bodies are particularly infectious.

Although the origins of the original pollution are not yet known, the first woman to die was the wife of an Ebola survivor, the government said Sunday.

The World Health Organization has said it is not uncommon for sporadic issues to follow a major outbreak.

The news came less than three months after Congo’s 11th revolution in the Western Equateur region officially ended in November.

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Added by AP writer Jean-Yves Kamale in Kinshasa.

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