New Ebola case recorded in rebel-held eastern Congo

A new Ebola case has been recorded in an area of eastern Congo controlled by AFC/M23 rebels, more than two months after the group declared the outbreak over in its territory. The case was detected in the Kayna health zone in North Kivu, near Lubero. The patient, a 21-year-old man, had arrived from Butembo, a city in government-held territory, though it is unclear where he contracted the virus. He was identified at a health checkpoint and confirmed infected the following day. Health authorities have begun tracing contacts and increased surveillance to prevent further spread. Rebel-held areas had previously reported only four Ebola cases since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. The Rwanda-backed rebels control large parts of North and South Kivu provinces. Health officials in Congo are also using anonymized mobile-phone data to track population movements and predict Ebola spread, as the broader outbreak faces challenges including limited community surveillance and reporting delays.