The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading rapidly despite intensified efforts to contain the virus.
The agency said it is still struggling to keep pace with the worsening outbreak in the country’s north-eastern region.
“The outbreak remains serious” and is “evolving so fast”, said Marie-Roseline Belizaire, the WHO Regional Office for Africa’s emergencies chief.
“However, I have seen a response that is growing stronger every day,” she told reporters in Geneva from Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province.
The outbreak was officially declared on 15 May, although health officials said transmission had been occurring undetected for some time.
The epidemic is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no vaccine is currently available.
According to the latest WHO update, the Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 896 confirmed cases, including 232 confirmed deaths, with 21 new infections reported in the past 24 hours.
More than 90 per cent of the confirmed cases have occurred in Ituri Province, an area affected by prolonged conflict.
The outbreak has also spread to North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
Belizaire said the response is expanding rapidly, with treatment capacity increasing from no available beds to more than 500.
She added that surveillance teams are now investigating nearly 400 alerts and can conduct more than 2,000 tests each day.
Efforts to trace people who have had contact with confirmed Ebola patients have also improved, with 75 per cent of identified contacts now being monitored.
The WHO said at least 95 per cent of contacts must be traced to effectively contain the outbreak.
In neighbouring Uganda, the only other country affected by the outbreak, authorities have confirmed 19 cases, including two deaths, while 10 patients have recovered.
Uganda has not reported any new Ebola cases in the past 12 days.