Ebola death toll in DR Congo surpasses 5,000 as outbreak spreads across eight provinces

KINSHASA — More than 5,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, according to the latest Health Ministry update released Saturday, as authorities struggle to contain the country’s largest outbreak on record.The cumulative number of reported cases has reached 10,351, the ministry said.The outbreak has affected eight provinces: Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, South Ubangi and North Ubangi.It is the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the second-largest globally, after the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa.The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) called Friday for stronger measures to protect frontline health workers following the deaths of two young Congolese doctors from Ebola earlier this week in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.Health authorities identified persistent weaknesses in early detection and contact tracing as major obstacles to containing the outbreak.According to officials, only about 12% of confirmed Ebola cases in Congo have been identified among previously known contacts, highlighting significant gaps in efforts to track transmission.Authorities also reported that many deaths continue to occur within communities, further complicating efforts to identify infections early and prevent the virus from spreading.