The World Health Organization (WHO) says the Ebola outbreak that has already killed at least 130 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo may have started nearly two months before it was officially confirmed.
In a new assessment, WHO said the scale of infections and the speed at which the virus spread suggest the outbreak had been circulating undetected for weeks.
More than 600 people are now suspected to have contracted the virus, nearly a week after authorities confirmed the outbreak in Ituri province in eastern Congo.
WHO warned that the number of Ebola cases is expected to continue rising as health teams expand surveillance and testing in affected communities.
The agency also raised concerns about the risk of cross-border transmission to neighboring countries as movement continues across eastern Congo just days after Uganda announced its first Ebola case.
Health officials are urging communities to remain alert, report symptoms early, and avoid contact with infected individuals or bodies of victims linked to the outbreak.
