KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, Aug. 25 (UPI) -- The World Health Organization confirmed Monday that Ebola has been found in Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The new cases were confirmed "in the remote village of Boende," WHO said via Twitter. A government spokesman announced Sunday that two people had tested positive for the deadly virus.
According to WHO, DRC's national lab reported the virus strain is different from the one affecting the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Three strains of Ebola have been found in Africa in previous outbreaks: Bundibugyo, Sudan and Zaire. Although the Zaire strain has been found in the Congo before, it is unclear which strain is currently active. "The country is organizing additional tests to better characterize the strain," WHO noted Monday.
With six previous outbreaks, the Congo "has extensive experience with Ebola outbreaks," WHO remarked on Twitter, adding that the government "immediately deployed a response team with WHO and other partners to the area."
An Ebola quarantine center and laboratory were quickly set up in the town, approximately 750 miles from the capital of Kinshasa.
As of August 20, the WHO recorded a total of 2,615 confirmed, possible and suspected cases of Ebola in West Africa, including 1,427 deaths.
