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The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has passed 1,000 confirmed cases in its first month, making it the country’s largest Ebola epidemic at this stage of an outbreak, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) official.
As of Monday, Congo had recorded 1,048 confirmed cases and 267 deaths, Abdi Mahamud, WHO’s director of health emergency alert and response operations, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday, citing the country’s Health Ministry.
“Since I last briefed you on 9 June from Bunia, the outbreak continues to expand,” Mahamud said after completing a month-long mission in Congo.
Mahamud said transmission patterns differ across affected health zones, with some areas showing stable trends while others are facing sharp increases in cases.
He described the outbreak as “challenging and complex,” as health officials try to scale up the response while new infections continue to put pressure on local services.
WHO says treatment capacity has been built up significantly over the past two weeks, rising from only a few beds to more than 500 beds across 19 health centers.
Laboratory testing has also been stepped up, increasing from 30 tests per day last month to more than 2,000 daily through eight decentralized laboratories in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
Despite these gains, Mahamud warned that Ebola treatment centers remain under strain, with 84% of available beds currently occupied.
WHO is appealing for $115 million to help slow down and ultimately stop transmission.
The outbreak has also raised concern beyond Congo’s borders, as neighboring Uganda has reported a 20th confirmed Ebola case linked to the ongoing outbreak in Congo.
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