More than 1,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo as health workers struggle to contain the outbreak amid armed violence, attacks on clinics and severe shortages of medical supplies.
Congo’s public health institute said the number of confirmed cases had risen to 2,536, while the death toll had reached 1,033.
The outbreak, the country’s 17th recorded Ebola epidemic, was officially declared in mid-May, although health experts believe the virus had been circulating for several weeks before it was detected.
The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has a fatality rate of up to 40%. Unlike the more common Zaire strain, there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for Bundibugyo Ebola.
Eastern Congo remains the centre of the outbreak, but efforts to contain the virus have been severely complicated by insecurity in areas where dozens of armed groups operate.
Health workers have also faced shortages of basic supplies and attacks on medical facilities. In some communities, relatives of Ebola victims have resisted restrictions preventing traditional burials, while conspiracy theories have fuelled claims that the outbreak is not real.
Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected people, whether living or dead. Symptoms can include fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, while severe cases may cause internal and external bleeding.
A limited number of experimental vaccines and treatments are being assessed. Researchers are also examining whether existing Ebola medicines could be effective against the Bundibugyo strain, although evidence remains limited and is largely based on animal studies.
Congolese authorities said 63 new infections and 34 additional deaths had been recorded since the previous daily update.
The outbreak has also spread into neighbouring Uganda, where authorities have confirmed 20 cases.
Uganda has not reported a new case since June 22, and the country’s final Ebola patient was discharged on July 16. That began a 42-day countdown before Uganda can officially be declared free of the virus.