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Just three days before Congo was expected to declare the end of its Ebola outbreak, a new case of the virus was confirmed, Euronews reported. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) said the new case was confirmed in Beni, a community that had been an epicentre of the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak in history.

WHO's Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshidiso Moeti said she was "sad" to hear about the new case, and said WHO was continuing to work with the country's health ministry to end Ebola.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO chief, said Congo's declaration of being Ebola-free had been planned for Monday. He said however: "We have been preparing for and expecting more cases."

The country had been hoping to end one global health emergency, as it braces for another - the arrival of the new coronavirus that has swept the globe.

"We'll just have to go for another 42 days, or the required period of time without a case for the Ebola outbreak to be declared over", said Mike Ryan, the emergencies chief for the WHO."

"Maybe that's our lesson for COVID-19: There is no exit strategy until you're in control of the situation,'' he added.

The Ebola outbreak has claimed more than 2,260 lives.