KINSHASA, Congo (AP) - The Latest on Congo’s Ebola outbreak (all times local):
4:50 p.m.
The wife of the man who died of Ebola in Congo’s city of Goma this week has tested positive for the virus, hours after their 1-year-old daughter was confirmed to have the disease.
The Ebola coordinator for North Kivu province, Dr. Aruna Abedi, confirmed the latest case to The Associated Press.
The two new cases on Thursday are the first direct transmission of Ebola inside Goma, a city of more than 2 million people on the Rwandan border.
Congo’s presidency has said the entire family is at high risk and that it is likely other family members will be confirmed to have Ebola.
___
3:55 p.m.
Congo’s presidency says the border is open again with Rwanda hours after its eastern neighbor closed it over the deadly Ebola outbreak. Congo had protested the closure, which went against international health recommendations.
The closure occurred Thursday morning as the first case of direct transmission of the Ebola virus was confirmed in Goma, the Congo city of more than 2 million people on the Rwandan border.
The health ministry has said the 1-year-old daughter of the man who died of Ebola this week in Goma now has the disease.
The new Congo statement says the man’s entire family is at “high risk” and in quarantine.
It says it is likely that other family members will be confirmed to have Ebola.
___
11:30 a.m.
Congo’s health ministry says the 1-year-old daughter of the man who died of Ebola this week in the city of Goma now has the disease.
This is the outbreak’s first direct transmission of Ebola inside Goma, a city of more than 2 million people on the border with Rwanda.
Rwanda’s government earlier Thursday said it had closed its border with Congo over the outbreak, which is entering its second year.
More than 1,800 people have died, nearly a third of them children.
___
9:40 a.m.
A Rwandan official says his country has closed its border with Congo because of the deadly Ebola outbreak.
The state minister for foreign affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe confirmed the border closure to The Associated Press on Thursday.
The closure comes after a man died of Ebola in Congo’s major city of Goma, which is on the Rwandan border. He was the second confirmed Ebola case in Goma.
The World Health Organization, which declared this yearlong Ebola outbreak a global health emergency last month, has recommended against travel restrictions.
It also says the risk of regional spread is “very high.”
___
9:15 a.m.
A Congolese official says a person who had contact with the second confirmed Ebola case in the city of Goma is at an Ebola treatment center after showing signs of the disease.
The Ebola coordinator for North Kivu province. Dr. Aruna Abedi, tells The Associated Press that this is a suspected case. It is not immediately clear whether the person is a family member of the man who died on Wednesday. He had spent several days at home with his family while showing symptoms.
If this suspected case is confirmed, it could be the first transmission of Ebola in this yearlong outbreak inside Goma, a city of more than 2 million people on the Rwandan border.
Witnesses say border crossings with Rwanda near the city now appear to be closed.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.