Spike in Ebola cases: Congo reports 72 new infections in 24 hours; toll rises to 181

Congolese authorities reported 72 new Ebola cases in a 24-hour period on Sunday, marking one of the highest daily increases since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, the Associated Press reported citing the Ministry of Health.The ministry said the new infections pushed total confirmed cases to 782, while deaths rose to 181 after 29 additional fatalities were recorded.“Community members are reporting suspected cases, and response teams are investigating them,” the Ministry of Health said in a post on X, noting that increased surveillance is contributing to higher reported numbers.It added that the figures reflect both rapid spread and intensified monitoring efforts as health teams expand testing and contact tracing operations across affected regions.The outbreak, which was officially confirmed on May 15, is believed to have begun weeks earlier, raising concerns that the actual case count may be higher than reported.The outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has no approved vaccine or treatment, unlike the Zaire strain responsible for the past 16 outbreaks of the disease in the country.The Ministry of Health also said that 40 people have recovered since the outbreak began, while the current fatality rate stands at 23 per cent.

Earlier, contact tracing coverage was reported to have fallen to 56 per cent, a decline from the previous week, with no immediate explanation provided for the drop.The World Health Organization said it is intensifying its response, including expanded testing, treatment capacity and contact tracing operations, with supplies already deployed to affected areas.The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said it is also deploying technical experts and strengthening laboratory and community response systems.“We remain committed to supporting affected countries until transmission is stopped,” Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa CDC told AP, calling for urgent mobilisation of resources from global partners.The outbreak remains concentrated in eastern Congo’s Ituri province, which accounts for more than 90 per cent of reported cases, with additional infections recorded in North Kivu and South Kivu, and cross-border spread reported into Uganda.Humanitarian conditions continue to complicate containment efforts, with nearly one million people displaced in Ituri due to ongoing conflict, making contact tracing and surveillance difficult in remote and insecure areas.Health workers have also faced attacks and resistance from some communities, further slowing containment operations, while authorities continue to expand field response teams.