Lab-confirmed Ebola Outbreak in DRC's Kasai Province

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have declared a new Ebola outbreak in southern Kasai province after laboratory confirmation that the virus infected a pregnant woman who was admitted to a local hospital in late August and later died. The government and international agencies are racing to contain the disease amid conflicting case counts, limited local infrastructure and concerns that the outbreak could spread.

The first confirmed patient, a 34 year old pregnant woman from the Bulape locality in Mweka territory, was admitted on Aug. 20 with fever, bloody vomiting and weakness and died days later from multiple organ failure, health officials said. National laboratory testing identified the Zaire strain of Ebola, the most virulent form of the virus. The government announced the outbreak on Sept. 4.

Counts of cases and deaths have varied as investigations continue. The health ministry initially reported 28 suspected cases and 15 deaths, including four health workers. A later update from U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention briefings said suspected and confirmed cases had risen to 58, with at least 20 deaths. A provisional report cited by the ministry...