Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have confirmed an Ebola case not far from the country’s border with South Sudan.

An official with close knowledge of the outbreak spoke to Associated Press (AP) stating that it is the closest confirmed case to South Sudan since an outbreak began in North Kivu last August.

The victim, a 40-year-old woman had traveled nearly 500km from Beni, in North Kivu province in the DRC despite having been identified by health officials as having been exposed to Ebola and warned not to travel.

South Sudan is a country with a healthcare system weakened by years of civil war, making it vulnerable to the potential spread of the deadly virus

People who have come into contact with Ebola patients should be monitored for 21 days, the incubation period during which symptoms can emerge after exposure. Long-distance travel, particularly to regions bordering other vulnerable countries, is not recommended.