Confirmed Ebola cases in DR Congo exceed 8,000 — Anadolu Agency

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the number of confirmed Ebola cases has exceeded 8,000 since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. According to the latest data from the country's Ministry of Health, 8,067 cases of the disease and 3,901 deaths have been recorded.

The case fatality rate stands at 48.4%. Anadolu Agency reports this, citing data from the DR Congo health authorities.

Seven provinces affected by the outbreak

The epidemic has spread across 63 health zones in seven provinces: Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Tshopo and South Ubangi. The epicenter of the disease's spread remains Ituri province, which accounts for 76.4% of all recorded cases since the outbreak began.

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Health authorities link the recent increase in virus transmission to problems with contact tracing and deaths outside treatment centers. Most new confirmed deaths occurred in communities in Ituri and North Kivu, where there are difficulties in the timely detection of patients.

Decline in contact tracing rate

The contact tracing rate has fallen to 79.2%, compared with 83.4% previously. Virus transmission persists in Haut-Uele province, while its resurgence has been recorded in Tshopo.

The World Health Organization warned last week that the geographical expansion of the outbreak, including the emergence of new affected areas in South Ubangi and Haut-Uele, increases the risk of cross-border spread. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported that at least $2.9 billion has been mobilized to combat Ebola in Africa.