Geneva/Kinshasa, June 10 (SANA) The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 598, including 115 deaths, according to government data released on Tuesday, as health authorities continue efforts to contain the country’s latest outbreak.
The increase came as the World Health Organization (WHO) said progress had been made in tracing people who may have been exposed to the virus, although the effort remains below the level required to halt transmission.
According to Reuters, the WHO’s latest figures showed 550 confirmed Ebola cases and 101 deaths, in addition to 94 suspected cases.
Abdi Mahamud, a WHO official, said response teams have so far reached 62% of contacts linked to confirmed cases, compared with the agency’s target of between 90% and 95%.
“The progress is slow but steady,” Mahamud said, adding that strengthening trust between health workers and local communities remains critical to identifying new infections, referring patients for treatment and improving contact-tracing operations.
He said increased monitoring efforts in the coming weeks could help health authorities reach the levels needed to contain the outbreak.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said contact-tracing efforts vary significantly across affected regions. According to the agency, teams reached 78% of identified contacts in the city of Bunia, while no contact-tracing activities were reported in several other areas.
The WHO issued an international health alert after the Democratic Republic of the Congo announced on May 15 the start of a new Ebola outbreak.
Health officials say contact tracing remains one of the most important tools for containing the spread of Ebola, a highly infectious disease transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids.
R.D/ABD
