Ebola Cases Surge 40% in Congo Outbreak Zone

The number of Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has increased nearly 40% in the past week, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The outbreak, driven by the rare Bundibugyo virus, has spread across 32 health zones in eastern Congo and neighboring Uganda, with 894 confirmed cases and over 200 deaths since the outbreak was declared on May 15. Contact tracing efforts are severely hampered by remoteness, funding shortages, and displacement, with only 4,000 of an estimated 17,000 to 35,000 potential contacts being tracked. Only 74 patients have recovered from the disease so far, while experimental treatments like monoclonal antibodies are under development. The outbreak is concentrated in Congo’s Ituri province, which accounts for over 90% of cases, with additional infections reported in North Kivu, South Kivu, and Uganda. Years of conflict in Ituri have displaced nearly 1 million people, complicating response efforts. Over $900 million has been pledged to combat the outbreak, but Africa CDC reports a critical shortage of personnel, with only 84 of the 540 needed currently deployed.