Congo - Ebola Outbreak Out Of Control - World Health Organization

An Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo risks spreading to major towns if not brought under control soon, the World Health Organisation said on Thursday.

The death toll has more than doubled since last week to 31, including five health workers dying from the contagious virus for which there is no known treatment. Ebola causes massive bleeding and kills up to 90 percent of its victims.

"The epidemic is not under control. On the contrary the situation is very, very serious," Eugene Kabambi, a WHO spokesman in Congo's capital Kinshasa told reporters by telephone.

"If nothing is done now, the disease will reach other places, and even major towns will be threatened," he said.

The disease has so far struck in the towns of Isiro and Viadana in Orientale province in the north east.

In August, 16 people in neighbouring Uganda died of the disease, although health experts said the two epidemics are not connected and have blamed the Congolese outbreak on villagers eating contaminated meat in the forests which cover the region.