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

Conservative Newsmax Under Attack: 'Time for Christians to Step up and Take Back This Media Landscape'

'It's a Fairness Issue': Speaker McCarthy Promises to Protect Women's Sports from Transgender Threat

Bill Protecting Minors from Gender Transition Surgeries and Drugs Advances in Tennessee Legislature

House Ousts Antisemitic Ilhan Omar from Foreign Affairs Committee in Party Line Vote

Prayer Alert: Republican New Jersey Councilwoman Fatally Shot Outside Her Home

DoD 'Continuing to Monitor' Chinese Spy Balloon Floating Over US; No Order to Shoot It Down

Big Update on Brunson Brothers' SCOTUS Case that Would Affect Results of the 2020 Presidential Election

What Do Conservative US Evangelicals and Right-Wing Israeli Religious Jews Have in Common?

'The Holy Spirit Did the Work': How the Owner of Two Strip Clubs Came to Jesus and Shut Them Down

Arizona Sheriff Testifies of 'Modern Day Slavery' at Border, Says Biden Turned on 'Welcome Sign'

Biden Tries to Rescue Woke CEOs with New Labor Department Rule; 25 AG's Bring a Lawsuit: 'It's a Violation of Federal Law'

Satanists Plan to Open New Mexico Abortion Mill Named after Justice Alito's Mother, as Part of Their 'Rituals'

Christian Mom Takes School to Court over Forcing 4-Year-Old to Attend LGBT Pride Parade, Watch Video of Men Kissing

Watch: Grandma of Sex-Trafficked Teen Gives Gut-Wrenching Testimony on Authorities 'Blinded' by Trans Ideology

Speaker McCarthy, Many Other Leaders Gather for Prayer and Repentance Prior to Prayer Breakfast

'I'm With God All Day': 'Laverne & Shirley' Star Cindy Williams' Beliefs on Jesus, Faith Re-Emerge after Actress' Death

70th National Prayer Breakfast Aims to Return to Roots, Build Unity

Report: Nikki Haley Set to Launch Presidential Bid on February 15

'Most Extreme' In Nation: Minnesota Legalizes Abortion to Birth With No Restrictions

Biden Administration May Declare 'Public Health Emergency' over Abortion Access