Authorities in Congo confirm more than 7,000 Ebola cases as the epidemic spreads to a seventh province

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 7,000, according to the latest government figures. The epidemic, officially declared in mid-May, has since spread to a seventh province, amid transmission that experts believe went undetected for several months.

Health authorities have recorded 7,022 cases, of which 3,398 resulted in deaths. Another 837 people are in isolation or receiving treatment. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, and specialists warn that the actual number of infections could be higher because of unreported cases.

Ituri Province, in the northeast of the country and the current epicenter of the epidemic, has recently recorded a slight decline in the number of cases in several affected areas. Africa CDC believes the upward trend could reverse. The death rate also appears to have fallen slightly, possibly because treatment is being started more quickly, but mortality remains high among patients who do not reach a specialized center.

Ebola is transmitted through physical contact and bodily fluids. There is currently no vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain.