Congolese health authorities have reported a sharp surge in Ebola cases, marking one of the highest daily increases since the outbreak began a month ago in a region already plagued by conflict and displacement. The Ministry of Health announced Sunday that 72 new confirmed cases were recorded in a single 24-hour period, bringing the total number of confirmed infections to 782.
Of those, 181 have resulted in death, with 29 new fatalities reported. Officials attribute the rising numbers partly to improved surveillance, as community members are now more actively reporting suspected cases and response teams are investigating them promptly.
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, was officially confirmed on May 15, though it is believed to have started weeks earlier. This strain differs from the more common Zaire virus, which has a vaccine and was responsible for most of Congo's previous 16 Ebola outbreaks.
The current fatality rate stands at 23%, with 40 people having recovered so far. The World Health Organization is intensifying testing, contact tracing, and treatment efforts, and has shipped tons of supplies to the affected areas.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is deploying technical expertise and supporting laboratory systems and community engagement to accelerate the response.
The outbreak is concentrated in Congo's eastern Ituri province, which accounts for over 90% of cases, with additional cases reported in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and across the border into Uganda. Contact tracing coverage has dropped sharply to 56% from the previous week, a decline authorities have not yet explained.
The region's challenges are immense: nearly a million people have been displaced by years of conflict in Ituri, making it difficult to track contacts as people flee attacks or move frequently through vast, densely forested areas with poor roads and remote villages that can take days to reach. Thousands of miners moving among remote sites in the mineral-rich region further complicate tracing efforts.