Third case of Ebola detected in northwestern DRC, WHO says

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have identified a third case of Ebola in the city of Mbandaka, the World Health Organization said Thursday.

The patient is a 48-year-old man deemed a "high-risk" contact of the first Ebola patient identified in the DRC's latest outbreak, who died on April 21, according to an official Twitter post from the WHO Africa Region.

"Responders have identified 444 contacts and continue to monitor their health," it said.

DRC authorities declared a new outbreak in the country's northwestern Equateur Province on April 22.

A second victim of the virus died on April 25, after experiencing symptoms for more than a week, the WHO said last week.

The victim, a 25-year-old woman, was the first casualty's sister-in-law.

The first patient began experiencing symptoms on April 5 and sought treatment at a local health facility before being admitted to an Ebola treatment center on April 21 for intensive care, the WHO stated. He died later that day, the organization confirmed.

Vaccinations have since commenced in Mbandaka with 281 people vaccinated so far, according to the WHO's last published figures on inoculation.