DR Congo Ebola cases exceed 500, set to become largest on record

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now surpassed 500 confirmed cases, with at least 91 deaths recorded across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, according to figures released by the National Institute of Public Health. The epidemic remains overwhelmingly concentrated in Ituri province, which accounts for nearly 95% of all confirmed infections, while additional cases have been detected in neighboring Uganda, where 19 infections and two deaths have been confirmed by health ministries in both countries. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 17, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned that cases could grow to exceed 20,000, potentially making this the largest Ebola outbreak on record. The outbreak is being fueled by a combination of insecurity, population displacement, and cross-border movement, according to health authorities. Unlike the 2014 to 2016 West African epidemic that killed 11,000 people, this crisis is caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, for which there is currently no licensed vaccine. Response efforts have been severely hampered by ongoing conflict in the region, with health facilities treating Ebola patients set on fire and conspiracy theories about the origin of the virus spreading online. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that misinformation is almost as dangerous as the virus itself. A joint $518 million Ebola preparedness and response plan was launched Friday by the WHO and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, focusing on emergency coordination, disease surveillance, laboratory testing, and community engagement. The DR Congo declared the epidemic on May 15, marking the country's 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified there in 1976. The UK has pledged £21 million to the response, while Mauritius has imposed temporary entry restrictions on travelers from the DRC, Uganda, and South Sudan, with returning residents subject to a 21-day quarantine. Ten other nearby countries are considered at risk by the African Union's public health agency. The testing backlog of more than 1,100 suspected cases was reduced to 116 by June 3 as samples were processed.