Beni: The Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has reached 676 confirmed cases and 136 deaths, spreading into new areas, according to a statement from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday. The organization noted that the outbreak is expanding both in terms of case numbers and geographic spread, presenting significant challenges for containment efforts.

According to Anadolu Agency, most of the recorded cases are concentrated in Ituri province, with infections identified across 34 health zones in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces. Olivier le Polain, WHO's unit head for epidemiology and analytics for response, emphasized that new cases are being identified almost daily in different health zones. This likely represents only a portion of the outbreak due to ongoing detection challenges and high population mobility.

In response, WHO and Congolese authorities have prioritized health zones based on risk level, focusing on 17 hotspot areas that require intensified support. They are also monitoring locations considered at high risk but not yet reporting cases. Le Polain outlined the necessary measures for containment, including safe burials, infection prevention in healthcare facilities, early detection, contact tracing, and community engagement.

However, the response efforts are complicated by insecurity, a weakened health system, and significant population movements. Le Polain noted that the full scale of the outbreak remains unclear, as surveillance, contact tracing, and testing are still being expanded. Despite these challenges, he affirmed that response mechanisms are being strengthened, with WHO supporting the government in areas such as surveillance, laboratory capacity, logistics, infection prevention, clinical care, and risk communication efforts.