(Congo, 21st) The Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo released the latest epidemic report on the 20th, stating that the cumulative number of confirmed Ebola cases in the country has increased to 956, of which 247 people have died.
According to Ministry of Health data, 92 patients have recovered, and another 361 patients are in isolation or receiving hospital treatment. In addition, authorities have recorded 162 suspected cases, of which 47 have died. Related investigations are still ongoing.
The Ministry of Health stated that the current contact tracing rate is only 69.3%, far below the target of 95% set by the authorities.
The report mentioned that epidemic prevention efforts are facing multiple challenges, including resistance in some communities to sampling and testing of deceased individuals, the treatment center in the epidemic hotspot of Ituri Province nearing full capacity, shortages of medical supplies, unstable security situation, and frequent population movement.
The Ministry stated recently that as epidemic prevention personnel go deeper into communities to actively search for cases, the number of confirmed cases is expected to continue to rise and that the outbreak has not yet reached its peak.