Ebola cases top 1,800 in DR Congo as virus reaches fourth province

The Democratic Republic of the Congo's Health Ministry announced Saturday that confirmed Ebola cases have climbed to 1,830 with 648 deaths since the outbreak began on May 15. The virus has now spread to a fourth province in the country's northeastern region despite international containment efforts.

Outbreak reaches new province

The outbreak has expanded beyond its original epicenters in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu to reach Haut-Uele province, where seven fatal cases were confirmed in the Wamba health zone on Friday, according to the ministry's latest situation update. Some 780 patients remain under treatment while 284 people have recovered from the Bundibugyo strain, which the World Health Organization classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on May 17 — two days after the initial declaration.

International mobilization

Donors and partners have pledged $910 million to support Ebola response efforts in Congo and neighboring Uganda, where 20 cases have been reported, as the Health Ministry stated that operations continue with "strengthened national coordination, epidemiological surveillance, and community mobilization." The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has deployed multidisciplinary expert teams to priority health zones accounting for 83% of cases as part of a decentralized response approach, Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya said.

'Every moment counts'

"That is why Africa's ability to detect, respond, and contain outbreaks must be built where health threats emerge - in communities, through trusted health workers, strong surveillance systems, and rapid access to financing," Kaseya said in a post on the US social media platform X. The Africa CDC chief added that the current outbreak serves as a stark reminder that every moment counts and every delay costs lives.