Health officials have discovered the virus has spread some 90 miles from the rural area where it was first reported last week to the crossroads city of Mbandaka, which is home to more than one million people.

"Mbandaka is on the banks of the Congo River and that means that it has connectivity right through to Kinshasa, in the Congolese hinterland, a town of more than 10 million people and it also connects through to neighboring countries such as the Central African Republic and Congo Brazzaville. So, this is a major, major game changer in the outbreak," says Dr. Peter Salama, deputy director-general of Emergency Preparedness and Response at the World Health Organization (WHO).

The news prompted an emergency meeting at WHO so health officials can determine the risk to the region and the world.

So far, 45 cases have now been reported in Congo, and 514 people believed to have been in contact with those infected are being monitored as epidemiologists work to identify additional contacts.

Four-thousand doses of Ebola vaccines have arrived in the country and thousands more are on standby if needed.

"We're certainly not trying to cause any panic in the national or international community. What we're saying though is that urban Ebola is a very different phenomenon to rural Ebola, because we know that people in urban areas can have far more contacts. So that means that urban Ebola can result in an exponential increase in cases," Dr. Salama continued.

This marks the ninth Ebola outbreak in Congo since 1976, but just the first-time people there have had access to vaccines, which have shown to be very effective.

Ebola is transmitted to people from wild animals like bats and monkeys.

Humans then transfer it to each other through bodily fluids.

In most cases the virus is fatal.

To receive daily emails from Breaking Christian News to your inbox CLICK HERE

'Get Him!': Watch as Brave Man Rescues Portion of American Flag Being Burned by 'Pro-Hamas Agitators' [Video]

A Growing Global Movement of Parents Is Keeping Their Kids Free from Smartphones

Democrat Downplays That Bill Would Cost Trump His Secret Service Detail

Teacher's Union Accused of Laundering $1.5 Million to Bankroll Dem Governor Josh Shapiro's Campaign

Dan Bongino: 9 Reasons to Vote for Kamala Harris

New Comms Director for Kamala Harris Campaign Wants to Pack the Supreme Court and Defund the Police

Pro-Life Protester Sentenced to More Than 3 Years Behind Bars for Blocking Abortion Clinic

Ben Carson Gives Perfect Defense of Pro-Life Position and Much More, in Powerful Tucker Carlson Interview [Watch]

Pastor Faced Death Threats, Had to Go into Hiding after Revealing Political Beliefs: 'I Reject the Victimhood Mentality'

'Hey Mom, I'm Trans!': The Truth About the Gender Dysphoria Deception, from a Mom in the Middle of It

These Important Election Integrity Initiatives Might Be on Your 2024 Ballot

Harris Campaign Admits to Misleading Voters on Trump, Project 2025

Pro-Harris Media Scrambles to Erase 'Border Czar' from Her Resume as GOP Highlights Her Record

House Republicans Raise American Flags at Union Station in DC after Chaotic Protesting Hamas Supporters Took Down and Burned Flags

Netanyahu Hails Israeli-US Bond, Reminds Protesters Israel the 'Land of the Bible' for 4,000 Years

'Influencing the Culture': Megachurch Equipping Churches to Mobilize Voters Ahead of November Election

Pray: Elderly Trump Supporter Run Over in Front Yard

Elon Musk Says AI Must Be 'Pro-Human,' Is Alarmed by Technological Developments

The Man and the Motive: Behind Musk's War on the 'Woke Mind Virus,' and Why He Fights for Children

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith Promises Bill Protecting Rights to Refuse Vaccines Is Coming