Staff Reporter<\/p>\n\n\n\n
THE Democratic Republic of Congo has reported a sharp rise in Ebola infections, with confirmed cases increasing to 1,561 and deaths reaching 506 as the outbreak continues to spread across several provinces, health authorities said late on Sunday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The outbreak, first confirmed in May 2026 in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and neighbouring Uganda, involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WHO said the outbreak is unfolding in a complex humanitarian and security environment, particularly in remote and densely populated areas affected by displacement, limited access to basic services, and ongoing insecurity, all of which are complicating response efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Health officials in Congo report that the majority of cases remain concentrated in Ituri Province, which accounts for more than 90% of infections. Cases have also been recorded in North Kivu and South Kivu, with transmission now confirmed across multiple health zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to WHO data, the outbreak has resulted in sustained community transmission, with hundreds of new cases and deaths recorded in recent weeks as surveillance and testing capacities have been expanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The organisation said more than 10,800 contacts are currently being monitored across affected areas, while response operations include contact tracing, treatment, infection prevention measures and cross-border coordination with Uganda and other countries in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Uganda has also reported confirmed cases linked to cross-border transmission, while a separate imported case was detected in a health worker returning to Europe, underscoring the regional and international dimension of the outbreak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
WHO said strengthening community engagement remains critical to controlling the spread, alongside improved surveillance and coordinated regional response efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Bundibugyo strain is considered particularly challenging due to the absence of widely available medical countermeasures, with health authorities continuing to test experimental treatments and vaccines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Authorities in both Congo and Uganda, supported by WHO and international partners, are scaling up emergency response operations as the outbreak continues to evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources: Reuters\/WHO<\/p>\n\n\n\n
PICTURED: Medical workers dressed in personal protective equipment (PPE) disinfect their equipment at an Ebola treatment centre during a ceremony to present recovery certificates to patients at the Rwambara General Reference Hospital in Bunia, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Photo: Reuters<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Staff Reporter THE Democratic Republic of Congo has reported a sharp rise in Ebola infections, with confirmed cases increasing to 1,561 and deaths reaching 506 as the outbreak continues to spread across several provinces, health authorities said late on Sunday. The outbreak, first confirmed in May 2026 in both the Democratic Republic of Congo and …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":397263,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-397262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n