Government officials said at least 20 people died in nine days after showing symptoms of haemorrhagic fever in and around the village of Mangina. The last outbreak in Mbandaka, 1,500 miles to the west of Mangina killed at least 33 people.
The World Health Organization says expert staff and equipment have been sent to northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo to quick-start the process of combating a new outbreak of Ebola.
WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic says the DRC ministry of Health informed WHO Wednesday that four of six samples taken in North Kivu tested positive for Ebola virus.
He says it is crucial to gain access to the area as quickly as possible.He says having people and material in the country from the outbreak in Equateur is very helpful in tackling the outbreak.
The last outbreak of this fatal virus in Congo was declared over just a week ago.
Ebola is a constant threat in the Democratic Republic of Congo as the virus thrives in heavily forested areas. This latest outbreak is the 10th since the first one was discovered in 1976.
WHO says this new outbreak in North Kivu province is 2,500 kilometers away from Equateur Province, the site of the previous outbreak, and there is no link between the two.
