They are thought to have caught the virus before the outbreak was identified, the Red Cross says.

The World Health Organization on Friday said the outbreak is spreading rapidly and now poses a “very high” risk nationally.

Residents attacked Ebola treatment sites in Mongbwalu and Rwampara as tensions surged. The violence has disrupted containment efforts and raised fears of wider transmission.

Angry residents of a town at the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo attacked and burned a tent that was part of a health center where people are being treated for the virus, the staff th

This includes the temporary halting of flights between the two countries, with the measure set to take effect within 48 hours.

GENEVA, May 23 - The Red Cross on Saturday paid tribute to three volunteers who are believed to have died after contracting Ebola while handling bodies and are among the first known victims of the latest outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Witnesses in Ituri province say the first cases appeared in mid-April, weeks before the outbreak was declared by officials and the World Health Organization.

The arson attack in Rwampara reflects the challenges of health workers trying to curb a rare Ebola virus by using stringent measures that might clash with local customs, such as burial rites