The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has reached 1,307, the country’s Ministry of Communication and Media reported on Tuesday.
According to figures published as of June 28, the outbreak has claimed 377 lives, putting the overall case fatality rate at 28.8%. At the same time, 180 patients have recovered, while 615 people remain in isolation or hospitalized.
The outbreak has also spread beyond the DR Congo’s borders. Uganda has reported 20 confirmed Ebola cases, including two deaths, while 15 patients have recovered, according to the latest figures from Ugandan health authorities.
The epidemic continues to be concentrated in the eastern DR Congo. The Ituri province remains the epicenter, with 23 affected health zones, while neighboring North Kivu is under heightened surveillance across 11 health zones. In South Kivu, authorities have recorded three confirmed cases and one death, but say no new transmission has been detected there since May 26, with active monitoring continuing.
Health officials say contact tracing has reached 81.3% in the three affected provinces.
The government has banned all public gatherings in the capital Kinshasa and the provinces of Tshopo, Haut-Uele and Bas-Uele in an effort to curb the spread of Ebola. The measure, announced by Interior Minister Jacquemain Shabani in a directive sent to provincial governors on Saturday, suspends political rallies, public marches and other mass events that could bring large crowds together.
DR Congo is battling its 17th recorded Ebola outbreak, which was declared on May 15. It involves the Bundibugyo strain of the virus for which there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments available.
Last week, France confirmed its first Ebola case, involving a doctor who recently returned from a humanitarian mission in DR Congo. The patient is in stable condition and has been admitted to a specialized isolation unit, according to the French Health Ministry. Authorities have launched contact tracing, while Health Minister Stephanie Rist said five passengers seated near the doctor on the flight to France have been identified and placed in isolation.