The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has claimed more than 4,000 lives, with health authorities reporting 4,018 deaths among 8,300 confirmed cases across seven provinces. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that a recent decline in reported cases may reflect gaps in disease surveillance rather than a sustained reduction in transmission.
According to the Congolese Health Ministry, 2,162 patients have recovered and the case fatality rate stands at 48.4 per cent.
Africa CDC said the outbreak has spread from three health zones in mid-May to 63 health zones across seven provinces, with 45 health zones still reporting active transmission. It cautioned against interpreting the recent decline in reported cases as a sign that the outbreak is under control.
International medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières has also warned that the actual death toll could be higher due to gaps in surveillance and case detection.
Insecurity and community resistance in several areas have hampered surveillance and response efforts, raising concerns that some infections may be going undetected.
