Ebola outbreak spreads across five provinces in DRC, death toll climbs to 672

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is battling a widening Ebola outbreak, with the virus now reported across five provinces and the national tally rising to 1,873 confirmed cases, including 672 deaths, according to the latest update from health authorities.

The situation report, released on Sunday and covering data through Friday, identified Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo as the provinces affected by the outbreak. Haut-Uele and Tshopo appeared in the national Ebola report for the first time, signalling the expanding reach of the deadly virus.

Health officials said investigations have traced cases in the newly affected provinces to the outbreak’s epicentre in Ituri, with transmission linked to contacts and population movements between communities.

The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was declared on 15 May and has placed enormous pressure on the country’s fragile healthcare system. Authorities said 763 patients are currently in isolation or receiving medical care, while treatment centres are operating at a high occupancy rate of 95.1 per cent.

Amid the crisis, 306 patients have recovered, offering a glimpse of hope, while health authorities have also recorded 299 suspected cases, including 91 deaths, as investigations continue.

The growing health emergency has also raised concerns over the safety of frontline responders. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said on Saturday that a US humanitarian worker involved in the Ebola response had tested positive for the virus, underscoring the mounting risks faced by those working to contain the outbreak.

Africa CDC said healthcare workers, humanitarian teams, volunteers and other response personnel are operating under intense pressure as they identify cases, treat patients and protect vulnerable communities from further spread.

Authorities and response teams have launched epidemiological investigations, contact tracing and exposure risk assessments linked to the infected humanitarian worker, while the exact circumstances of the exposure remain under review.

The outbreak has already taken a heavy toll on healthcare workers, with Africa CDC data showing that at least 112 health workers have been infected with the Bundibugyo Ebola virus and 35 have died.

As the virus continues to challenge containment efforts, health officials are racing to strengthen surveillance, expand treatment capacity and protect frontline workers at the centre of the response.

With IANS inputs