Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo kills 80 as cases climb
The Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has now killed 80 people, the health ministry said. Cases have risen sharply from earlier weeks and local treatment centres report mounting strain on capacity.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's health ministry says the death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the east has risen to 80. Most cases have been recorded in the Uvira and Fizi areas of South Kivu province, with confirmed cumulative infections now exceeding 246.
Teams deployed by the World Health Organization and Médecins Sans Frontières are accelerating isolation and vaccination efforts. A batch of 4,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine has been shipped to the region, and contact tracing now covers more than 2,000 people identified as exposed.
The outbreak comes as armed conflict and displacement in eastern DRC continue to weaken the local health system. Officials warn the approaching rainy season will hamper access to remote villages, and neighbouring countries have tightened temperature and screening procedures at land border crossings.
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