New Ebola cases seen in DR Congo

The Health Ministry in the Democratic Republic of Congo has confirmed a further seven cases of the deadly Ebola virus, which now totals 24 known cases.

More than 170 people in the West Kasai region have died of a haemorrhagic fever since April, but only six were confirmed as being from Ebola.

Symptoms of the epidemic include high temperature, bloody diarrhoea and visible haemorrhaging.

There is no known cure for Ebola, which is fatal in around 80% of cases.

Dr Benoit Kebela, director-general of Congo's Health Ministry, said two mobile laboratories, provided by the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and the National Public Health Agency of Canada, had confirmed the new cases.

Some 400 people are said to have fallen sick with similar symptoms.

This is the first major resurgence of Ebola in years.

The virus is thought to be transmitted through the consumption of infected bush meat and can also be spread by contact with the blood secretions of infected people.

DR Congo's last major Ebola outbreak killed more than 200 people in 1995 in Kikwit, about 400km (250 miles) west of the current outbreak.