Ebola Deaths in DR Congo Double in Two Weeks; Spread Accelerating Again

The spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is accelerating once again.

According to the DRC Ministry of Communication and Media on June 30 (local time), the number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country reached 1,307 as of June 28, an increase of 104 from three days prior.

The death toll stands at 377, rising by 56 in just three days.

Considering that the cumulative number of Ebola deaths reported on June 15—one month after the outbreak was declared—was 181, the death toll has more than doubled in the past two weeks.

The current fatality rate is 28.8%, nearing the 30% to 50% range known for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola currently in circulation.

So far, 180 people in the DRC have been declared recovered.

The DRC government has identified 35 health zones across three provinces—Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu—as the epicenter of the outbreak. However, AFP reported, citing health officials, that a confirmed case has also been found in Haut-Uele Province, north of Ituri, bringing the number of affected provinces to four.

According to AFP, the individual confirmed in Haut-Uele was infected in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, before traveling to Haut-Uele, and is reported to have already died.

The DRC government has not officially commented on this report.

The government has, however, expanded the ban on public gatherings, which had been in effect in the three affected provinces, to three neighboring provinces and the capital, Kinshasa, starting June 27.

The opposition party has protested this move, arguing that enforcing a ban on public gatherings in the capital, located approximately 1,800 km away from the outbreak zone, is a pretext to block anti-government protests scheduled for July 8.

Since the current Ebola outbreak was declared on May 15, there have been 20 confirmed cases and 2 deaths in Uganda, in addition to those in the DRC.

Recently, a doctor who had been conducting humanitarian work in the DRC was diagnosed with the virus after returning to France.

Damien Mama, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative in the DRC, expressed concern on June 30 that the Ebola outbreak could cause economic losses of up to $3.6 billion (approximately 5.58 trillion KRW) and lead to 300,000 job losses across the African continent, Reuters reported.

"If we strengthen the response with sufficient resources, we can contain the spread and prevent further losses, but if we fail to do so, this health crisis will lead to a more long-term and profound development crisis," Mama said.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.