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The number of suspected Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has now passed 1,000, according to a report released on Wednesday by the country's Health Ministry. The outbreak has continued to grow across eastern provinces for nearly two weeks after it was first declared.
So far, there have been 1,077 suspected cases, with 121 confirmed and 17 deaths since the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.
The ministry said the epidemic has now reached 13 health zones across three provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu.
Ituri is now considered the center of the outbreak. To help stop the spread, Congolese authorities have suspended social activities in the province, including sports events.
Surveillance, screening, and community awareness efforts are underway in the affected areas, although the ministry has reported challenges on the ground.
Public Health Minister Roger Kamba said about 3,600 people have been identified as having contact with confirmed patients, showing the scale of the containment efforts now in place.
The outbreak is not limited to Congo. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has identified 10 countries at higher risk of an Ebola outbreak: Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Zambia.
Seven cases have already been reported in neighboring Uganda since the outbreak began. On Wednesday, Ugandan authorities announced they would temporarily close the border with Congo to help reduce the risk of the virus spreading.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised its alert level for the outbreak to "very high." Several countries bordering Congo have also tightened entry restrictions for travelers from Congo.
The Ebola virus, which causes a type of hemorrhagic fever, was first identified in 1976 during outbreaks in Nzara, Sudan, and Yambuku, DRC. The virus is named after the Ebola River, near the Congolese village where the first outbreak happened.
The virus appeared again in West Africa in December 2013, leading to one of the deadliest Ebola epidemics ever recorded. From 2014 to 2017, outbreaks in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone infected about 30,000 people and killed more than 11,000.
The DRC has faced several Ebola outbreaks over the years and has built up strong response abilities. However, the current spread across three provinces and the involvement of neighboring countries have heightened international concern.
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