Congo Ebola outbreak nears 3,000 cases as death toll tops 1,300

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continued to worsen, with the number of confirmed infections rising to 2,973 and the death toll reaching 1,309, according to government figures released Saturday, underscoring the scale of what has become the country's fastest-growing Ebola epidemic in its early stages. Data updated through Thursday showed a case fatality rate of about 44%, with 540 patients having recovered while another 766 remained hospitalized or in isolation. Health officials said contact tracing had reached 73.9% of identified contacts, well below the 90% to 95% level considered necessary to effectively contain transmission. The outbreak expanded further after a new health zone in Haut-Uele province reported infections, bringing the total number of affected health zones to 48. Active transmission is continuing in 47 of those zones. The outbreak, officially declared on May 15 after cases emerged in northeastern Ituri province, marks the Democratic Republic of Congo's 17th Ebola epidemic since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976. Health experts believe the virus, the relatively rare Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV), had likely been circulating for weeks before it was detected. Researchers say the epidemic has spread faster during its opening months than the 2013-16 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the deadliest ever recorded, which infected more than 28,000 people and killed over 11,000. Ituri remains the epicenter of the current outbreak and continues to account for most infections and deaths. Cases have also been confirmed in North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces. Containing the virus has proven especially difficult because the affected eastern region has long been plagued by armed conflict, population displacement, poor health infrastructure and frequent movement of people across communities. Those conditions have complicated surveillance, contact tracing, patient isolation and safe burial practices. Unlike the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, there is currently no licensed vaccine or approved treatment for Bundibugyo ebolavirus. Patients primarily receive supportive medical care while researchers test experimental therapies. Clinical trials involving a monoclonal antibody treatment, the antiviral drug remdesivir and the University of Oxford's experimental ChAdOx1 BDBV vaccine began earlier this year, offering hope for improved treatment and prevention options. Health workers also continue to face widespread community distrust, misinformation and resistance to testing, including opposition to post-mortem examinations, all of which have slowed efforts to break chains of transmission. Security concerns have added another layer of difficulty, with attacks on health facilities, shortages of medical supplies, limited treatment capacity and many patients seeking care only after developing severe symptoms. The World Health Organization and other response partners have warned that official case totals likely underestimate the true extent of the outbreak because surveillance remains incomplete in remote and conflict-affected areas. Some estimates suggest actual infections could be two to four times higher than reported. The outbreak has also crossed international borders. Uganda has confirmed 20 linked cases and two deaths, although the country's last patient was discharged in mid-July, beginning the required 42-day monitoring period before officials can declare the outbreak over there. Imported cases have also been identified in France, while a U.S. citizen who had worked in the DRC was linked to the outbreak. The Congolese government, working alongside the World Health Organization, Africa CDC, Medecins Sans Frontières and other international partners, has expanded laboratory testing, opened additional treatment centers, increased isolation capacity and strengthened surveillance and community outreach programs. Authorities have also introduced measures to monitor travelers returning from affected areas as international donors commit hundreds of millions of dollars toward health and humanitarian operations. Although health officials have reported localized signs of stabilization in areas including Mongbwalu and Goma, transmission remains active across much of eastern Congo, and the outbreak has not yet reached its peak. Ebola is a severe viral disease spread through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of infected people, or with contaminated surfaces and materials. It is not airborne, and early supportive treatment significantly improves a patient's chances of survival.