Kinshasa: The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen above 1,500, raising concern about the speed of the outbreak and the difficulties faced by health workers trying to stop its spread.
The latest government figures show that the country has recorded 1,502 confirmed cases and 473 confirmed deaths. The outbreak has mainly affected the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, where years of conflict and displacement have made the health response especially difficult.
The increase in cases comes after earlier figures from the World Health Organization showed 1,460 confirmed infections and 452 deaths as of July 1. The newer figures therefore represent another 42 confirmed cases and 21 deaths in a short period.
However, health experts say that increases in the official case count do not always mean that all the infections happened on the same day. Expanded laboratory testing and the processing of earlier samples can lead to sudden increases in the number of confirmed cases.
The outbreak, which was officially declared in May, has grown rapidly. Confirmed cases increased from 515 in early June to nearly 900 by the middle of the month. By the beginning of July, the number had climbed to more than 1,400 before crossing 1,500.
The outbreak has been linked to the Bundibugyo virus, a type of Ebola virus that has caused previous outbreaks in Africa but is less common than the Zaire strain responsible for the major West African Ebola epidemic.
Ituri province remains the main centre of the current outbreak. Earlier surveillance figures showed that the large majority of confirmed cases were recorded there. North Kivu has also reported more than 100 cases, while a small number of infections have been confirmed in South Kivu.
Health workers are trying to identify people who have been in contact with infected patients, isolate suspected cases and provide treatment. But these efforts are being complicated by insecurity in eastern Congo.
Armed groups remain active in several parts of the affected region. Fighting has forced families to leave their homes and move between communities, making it harder for health teams to follow contacts and identify people who may have been exposed to the virus.
The infection of health workers is another major concern. Medical staff working directly with patients face a higher risk when protective equipment, safe isolation facilities and other resources are limited.
Funding is also becoming a serious challenge. International and African health officials have called for stronger financial support to improve surveillance, laboratory testing, treatment and community awareness.
Public trust is an important part of the response. During previous Ebola outbreaks, fear and misinformation sometimes made people reluctant to report symptoms or seek treatment. Health authorities are therefore working with local communities to explain how the virus spreads and why early treatment is important.
Ebola can spread through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person. People can also become infected through contact with contaminated objects and materials. Symptoms can include fever, weakness, muscle pain, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea and bleeding in some cases.
The outbreak has also raised concerns beyond Congo because of movement across national borders. Uganda has reported confirmed cases linked to the outbreak. Earlier regional surveillance information showed that Uganda had recorded 20 confirmed cases and two deaths by July 1.
Most of the Ugandan cases were connected with travel from Congo, while several involved local transmission. No new confirmed case had been reported in Uganda since June 21 according to the earlier surveillance update, offering some encouragement to health officials. However, monitoring continues because people regularly travel across the border for trade, work and family reasons.
The current situation remains serious. The rise from just over 500 confirmed cases in early June to more than 1,500 by early July shows the scale of the challenge facing Congo and its neighbours.
Health authorities say that stronger surveillance, faster testing, safe treatment, protection for medical workers and cooperation between neighbouring countries will be essential. The success of the response may also depend on whether health teams can safely reach communities affected by violence and displacement.
For families living in the affected areas, the outbreak adds another layer of fear to daily life already shaped by conflict and economic hardship. Many communities are now depending on local health workers and international partners to prevent the disease from spreading further.
The coming weeks will be important in determining whether the response can slow transmission. With the number of confirmed cases continuing to rise, health authorities are under pressure to strengthen the response while ensuring that communities receive clear information, medical care and support.