DR Congo records 381 Ebola cases, 63 deaths
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has confirmed 381 Ebola cases, including 63 fatalities, Health Minister Roger Kamba announced at a press briefing, Qazinform News Agency cites Xinhua.
233 patients are currently hospitalized, either in isolation awaiting test results or receiving treatment.
He said, the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, has spread to Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces.
Declared on May 15, the epidemic has been classified by the World Health Organization as a public health emergency of international concern.
The Minister stressed testing capacity has expanded with the arrival of 4,000 kits from the Africa CDC and international partners, enabling results within 24 hours.
Contact tracing has improved significantly from 9% at the start of the response to 55% now, with a target of 90% to better anticipate new cases.
Authorities are intensifying testing, isolation, and treatment in affected provinces.
Neighboring Uganda has reported 16 confirmed cases, including one newly confirmed on Thursday.
Cross-border coordination is underway to strengthen regional health security and prevent further spread.
Earlier, the Congolese Ministry of Communication and Media confirmed that the death toll among these laboratory-confirmed cases has reached 42.
