Ebola Outbreak in Congo Kills 438 as Cases Continue to Rise

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 400 after almost 40 new fatalities were recorded in the last 24 hours, according to the latest situation report from the Health Ministry on Thursday. The ministry stated the number of confirmed cases has risen to 1,406, including 438 deaths, representing a fatality rate of 31.2 per cent since the outbreak was declared on 15 May. The outbreak is concentrated across 34 health zones spread throughout the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. The ministry also reported that the 24th health zone, known as Lolwa in Ituri province, which is the current epicentre of the outbreak, has now been affected by the spread of Ebola. To date, at least 192 people have been declared recovered, whilst 609 patients remain in isolation or hospitalised. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that the reported case fatality rate in Congo is likely still lower than the actual figure, as many deaths that occurred before the outbreak was declared remain under investigation. Health authorities cited the precarious security situation, population displacement, community resistance, and strain on health facilities as factors weakening the response to the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola. On Tuesday, two people, including a police officer, were killed and a treatment centre was set ablaze when violence erupted over the body of a man believed to have died from Ebola in Ituri. According to local media, another incident occurred in the Nia-Nia health zone in Mambasa territory after some individuals refused to hand over the body of a person suspected of dying from Ebola to the team responsible for safe and dignified burials. Earlier this week, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi announced a $319 million plan to tackle the Ebola outbreak. Meanwhile, donor countries and partners have pledged $910 million in aid to support the Ebola response in Congo and Uganda, where 20 cases have been confirmed, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.