Health authorities have confirmed the first Ebola case in South Kivu province in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, an area currently under the control of the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group.

The confirmation comes as efforts to contain the latest Ebola outbreak continue to face challenges linked to insecurity and ongoing armed conflict in the country.

The World Health Organization has declared the outbreak an international public health emergency.

Eastern DR Congo has long been affected by violence involving armed groups, including clashes between Congolese government forces and M23 fighters.

The M23 group, which controls parts of the mineral-rich eastern region with support from Rwanda, has established a parallel administration in territories under its control.

However, the armed group is now confronting the challenge of responding to a serious Ebola outbreak, a disease that has claimed more than 15,000 lives across Africa over the past five decades.

An M23 spokesperson confirmed that medical tests identified a positive Ebola case in Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, which came under M23 control in February 2025.

According to the spokesperson, the infected person reportedly travelled from Kisangani, a major city in Tshopo province in eastern DR Congo, where no confirmed cases linked to the current Ebola outbreak had previously been recorded.

Health authorities continue surveillance and response measures as efforts intensify to prevent further spread of the virus.