The death toll from the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached 600, with new suspected cases emerging in provinces previously unaffected by the disease, the government announced Thursday.
Suspected cases have now been recorded in Tshopo and Haut-Uele provinces, indicating the virus is spreading beyond its epicenter in Ituri. According to the Congolese health ministry, two new suspected cases were reported in Kisangani, Tshopo province. The total number of confirmed cases has risen to 1,759.
One of the suspected cases in Tshopo is linked to the Nia-Nia health zone in Ituri, where the outbreak began. The second suspected case in Tshopo has no apparent connection to known outbreaks, and authorities are investigating.
This latest outbreak, declared on May 15, is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. The World Health Organization noted that the disease had been transmitted for weeks without official detection prior to the declaration.
Clinical trials for a treatment began last week, following the launch of a study aimed at combating the virus. However, efforts to contain the outbreak face significant challenges, including a funding gap, attacks on health centers, and ongoing conflict in eastern Congo.
