Kinshasa, June 21 (SANA) The Democratic Republic of the Congo has reported a rise in confirmed Ebola cases to 956, as the country continues to grapple with an active outbreak of the virus.
According to a statement from the Congolese Ministry of Health cited by Reuters, the total number of confirmed infections has reached 956, including 247 deaths.
The update follows confirmation by the World Health Organization on Friday that 75 healthcare workers have been infected since the start of the current outbreak, 17 of whom have died.
Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba had earlier put the number of confirmed cases at 933, with 245 deaths reported at that time.
Health authorities say the virus likely circulated for months before the first official cases were reported on May 15, raising concerns that medical personnel were exposed before the outbreak was detected. Officials have also highlighted a shortage of basic protective equipment, including gloves and masks.
N.J/ABD