By Muhammad Amaan
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded 3,532 confirmed Ebola cases and 1,556 deaths, as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the outbreak.
Latest figures released on Friday by the country’s public health authorities showed that the disease has spread to five eastern provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo.
According to the authorities, 807 patients are currently in isolation or receiving treatment, while 626 people have recovered from the virus.
Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Dr Jean Kaseya, said the outbreak remains a major public health concern and cannot yet be considered under control.
Speaking during the agency’s weekly news briefing earlier on Thursday, Kaseya described the epidemic as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record.
He said more than 80 per cent of newly reported infections in Ituri, the worst-hit province, could not be traced to known contacts, a development that has complicated efforts to contain transmission.
Dr Kaseya also noted that over 60 per cent of Ebola-related deaths were occurring within communities instead of treatment centres, highlighting persistent gaps in case detection and access to care.
The DRC government declared the outbreak on May 15 and has continued to work with health partners to curb the spread of the disease.
