Ebola cases top 1,406, death toll rises to 438 in Congo

Kinshasa: The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported 1,406 confirmed Ebola cases, including 438 deaths, the government said.

The figures showed that 192 patients had recovered, while 609 others were receiving treatment or under care.

The outbreak remains concentrated in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, where surveillance, medical care and response operations are continuing.

The government said response capacity is being strengthened through the deployment of vehicles and ambulances, the supply of medicines and personal protective equipment, and intensified communication and community mobilisation efforts.

The DRC declared the outbreak in mid-May. Health authorities and international partners have repeatedly warned that insecurity, population movement, pressure on health facilities and incomplete contact tracing continue to complicate the response, Xinhua news agency reported.

Ebola is a rare, severe, and often fatal disease caused by a virus. The virus is transmitted to humans from wild animals (like fruit bats) and spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. It is characterized by the sudden onset of flu-like symptoms, fever, and can lead to organ failure.

An Ebola outbreak was confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Uganda in May 2026. The Bundibugyo species of Ebola involved is one for which there is no vaccine or specific treatment, though work is ongoing to test promising candidates. The outbreak is occurring in a challenging context: humanitarian crisis and a remote and densely populated area, combined with insecurity and high population and trade movements.

Symptoms typically appear 2 to 21 days after exposure and include sudden fever, fatigue, muscle pain, severe headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising in severe cases.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared this outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

IANS