KINSHASA, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed Ebola cases of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has risen to 14 after the Health Ministry announced 11 new confirmed cases and one new related death in the country's northwest.

A ministry statement late Thursday said the 11 new confirmed cases and one new related death were reported in the town of Bikoro in Equateur Province, where the Ebola outbreak was officially announced on May 8 by authorities.

It said the new death has epidemiologic ties to another case. Another lethal case in Wangata on Thursday was a suspected one.

The statement said the total number of Ebola cases is now 45, including 10 suspected cases, 21 probable cases and 14 confirmed cases.

Health Minister Oly Ilunga said of the current 25 deaths, only one has been confirmed as Ebola, adding that no new health professionals have been contaminated.