KINSHASA, May 22 (Xinhua) -- At least seven new cases of Ebola hemorrhagic fever have been confirmed in the northwest Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Minister of Health Oly Ilunga said in a statement Monday.

All the seven cases were in the health zone of Iboko in Equateur province, one of the three health zones affected by the epidemic, the minister said.

A total of 28 cases have been confirmed in Equateur since the official declaration of the outbreak.

The minister also launched an Ebola vaccination campaign to contain the epidemic.