WHO: Ebola continues to spread in DR Congo, deaths surpass 500

The Ebola outbreak, caused by the deadly Bundibugyo strain, in eastern DR Congo continues to spread, with 506 deaths reported so far, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday. “The true scale of this outbreak is not yet fully known,” and it is too early to say the outbreak is stabilising, Anne Ancia, WHO representative for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), told reporters in Geneva via video link. Speaking from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province which is the epicentre of the outbreak, Ancia said that as of 4 July, the DRC had reported 1,561 confirmed cases, including 506 deaths, and 254 patients who have recovered. Meanwhile, more than 10,000 contacts are currently being monitored. Ancia said local authorities, with WHO support, are tracing the history of each case to establish transmission chains and isolate contacts. She added that treatment centres are operating “at full capacity” and health workers continue to serve affected communities despite facing severe challenges. Although daily testing capacity has increased and decentralised laboratories have been established in affected provinces, Ancia warned of a shortage of essential supplies. “At the moment, we do not have enough ambulances,” she said, warning that all needs in Ituri province cannot yet be fully met. Meanwhile, she announced that clinical trials began on 2 July to evaluate two promising therapies for the Bundibugyo strain. Although no drug has yet proven effective and been approved for the disease, more than 1,200 doses of treatment will be administered singly or in combination to assess whether they can improve patients’ chances of survival, she added.