GENEVA, September 02. /ITAR-TASS/. The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Tuesday that the newly-identified Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo are genetically unrelated to the disease outbreak in West Africa.

“Results from the virus characterization, together with findings from the epidemiological investigation, are definitive: the outbreak in DR Congo is a separate and independent incident, with no relation to the outbreak in west Africa,” the UN health agency said.

The WHO said 53 Ebola cases were reported in the DRC, including 31 deaths. Seven of the victims were healthcare workers.

Meanwhile, the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria has already killed more than 1,500 people.

The WHO warned last week that the number of people affected by the Ebola virus could reach 20,000 within nine months. The organization said that $490 million were needed to fund efforts aimed at stopping the Ebola spread.