An Ebola outbreak was reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in early September. So far, 42 people have died out of 64 confirmed cases.
The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Wednesday that the chance of the disease spreading in the region is moderate.
Two weeks ago, health officials in DR Congo started giving out vaccines to help protect people from the deadly virus.
Ebola is a highly contagious disease that causes bleeding and fever. It has killed about 15,000 people in Africa over the last 50 years.
The vaccination campaign began after a new wave of the disease was found in Kasai, a province in central DR Congo.
The head of the WHO, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, shared on social media that 64 people have been infected in DR Congo and 42 of them have died.
He also said that the WHO and its partners are helping the DR Congo government respond to the outbreak.
The WHO believes the risk of the virus spreading further within DR Congo is high, but the risk in nearby countries is moderate.
The outbreak is being made worse by not enough protective gear, problems tracking who’s been in contact with infected people, late detection of cases, and unsafe ways of burying the dead.
The WHO also warned that people moving around a lot and visiting traditional healers instead of doctors are increasing the chances of the disease spreading.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with body fluids. It can cause severe bleeding and organ failure, and it is often deadly.
The virus was first found in 1976 and is believed to have come from bats.
The WHO says the death rate in the current outbreak is 45.7%, compared to past outbreaks, where it ranged from 25% to 90%.
The Zaire strain of Ebola, which is causing this outbreak, has a vaccine available.
The WHO says 45,000 more vaccine doses have been approved for delivery to DR Congo.
These vaccines come from a global supply managed by a group that also provides vaccines for other deadly viruses.
