Africa's top health agency has declared an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo's eastern Ituri province.

Around 246 cases and 80 deaths have been reported, mainly in the gold-mining towns of Mongwalu and Rwampara, said the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

Ugandan officials confirmed one case of imported Ebola from DR Congo on Friday, with the country's health ministry stating that a 59-year-old male who died on Thursday had tested positive.

Ebola was first discovered in 1976 in what is now DR Congo, and is thought to have spread from bats. This is the 17th outbreak of the deadly viral disease in the country.

It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids and through broken skin, causing severe bleeding and organ failure.

Early symptoms include fever, muscle pain, fatigue, headache and sore throat, and are followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, a rash and bleeding.

There is no proven cure for Ebola. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the average fatality rate is around 50%.

Preliminary tests conducted at the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) in the capital, Kinshasa, have detected the virus in 13 of 20 samples analysed, following consultations with DR Congo's Ministry of Health and National Public Institute.

Tests are also being carried out to identify the strain of the virus.

Of the 80 deaths, four were reported among lab-confirmed cases, Africa CDC said.

Additional suspected cases have also been reported in Ituri's provincial capital, Bunia, with laboratory confirmation pending.

Africa CDC expressed concern about the high risk of further spread due to the urban settings of Rwampara and Bunia, and mining activities in Mongwalu.

All affected communities and at-risk areas have been advised to follow guidelines from the national health authorities.

The Congolese government has not yet officially declared an outbreak. A staffer told the BBC a press conference was expected later on Friday.

Ituri has been under military rule since 2021, with the civilian authority replaced by a military general to neutralize armed groups in the area.

Last year, 45 people died after an outbreak in the central Kasai province.