254 Dead as Congo's Ebola Outbreak Surpasses 1,000 Cases

Email:online@newsofbahrain.com

Bunia, DR Congo: Confirmed Ebola cases in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have risen above 1,000, with 254 deaths recorded since the outbreak was declared in May, health authorities said.

The outbreak, centred in Ituri province, has reached 1,003 confirmed cases. Officials said 100 people have recovered, while at least 365 patients remain in hospitals or isolation.

Health workers are struggling to contain the spread of the disease, with contact tracing reaching only 55 percent of known contacts. More than 35,000 people who may have been exposed to the virus still need to be traced, according to authorities.

The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. Officials have also been unable to identify the first infected patient, making it harder to determine how long the virus circulated before being detected.

Efforts to control the outbreak have been complicated by ongoing violence in eastern Congo, where attacks by armed groups have limited access to affected communities and displaced thousands of people.

Health officials warn that the true scale of the outbreak may be larger than current figures suggest and believe the peak of infections has not yet been reached.

Pic Credit: AFP