ITURI PROVINCE — The Democratic Republic of Congo has reported at least 80 deaths in a new Ebola outbreak in the eastern Ituri province, with health workers racing on Saturday to intensify screening and contact tracing. Officials first announced the outbreak on Friday, citing 65 deaths and 246 suspected cases.

Health Minister Samuel-Roger Kamba said late Friday that there have been eight laboratory-confirmed cases, including four deaths. Test results confirmed the Bundibugyo virus, a variant of the disease that has been less prominent in Congo's past outbreaks. Only 13 blood samples have been tested at the National Institute of Biomedical Research, with eight returning positive for the Bundibugyo strain and five samples unable to be analyzed due to insufficient volume, Kamba said.

The disease has been confirmed in three health zones in Ituri province: Bunia, Rwampara and Mongwalu. The suspected index case is a nurse who died at a hospital in Bunia, with symptoms dating back to April 24, the health minister said.

This is Congo's 17th Ebola outbreak since the disease first emerged in the country in 1976. Ebola is a rare disease that is severe and often fatal, and is highly contagious through bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. Congo has experience in managing Ebola outbreaks but often faces logistical challenges in delivering expertise and supplies to affected regions. Ituri province is around 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from the nation's capital, Kinshasa, and has experienced violence from Islamic State-backed militants.

In Bunia, Ituri's main city, businesses and regular activities at public places appeared to be normal on Friday. Jean Marc Asimwe, a resident of Bunia, described the situation in the city. "Every day, people are dying, and this has been going on for about a week. In a single day, we bury two, three, or even more people," Asimwe said. "At this point, we don't really know what kind of disease it is," he said.

Adeline Awekonimungu, another resident of Bunia, called for stronger government action. "My recommendation is that the government take this matter seriously and that it takes charge of the hospitals so that this matter can be brought under control," she said.

Uganda has confirmed an Ebola case imported from Congo, with the person dying at a hospital in Kampala, Uganda's capital. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said it is concerned about the risk of further spread due to the proximity of affected areas to Uganda and South Sudan.