Daijiworld Media Network - Kinshasa

Kinshasa, Oct 28: The Democratic Republic of Congo has recorded 10,060 confirmed Ebola cases and 4,887 deaths since May, marking the second-largest recorded epidemic, according to the country's Health Ministry.

Officials said only 12 per cent of confirmed cases had emerged among previously identified contacts, pointing to significant gaps in detection and widespread undetected transmission across the country.

The Bundibugyo virus strain has affected 66 health zones across eight provinces — Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, South Ubangi and North Ubangi. The reported fatality rate stands at 48.6 per cent.

The World Health Organization's Africa office has warned that sustained efforts are needed to contain the outbreak. According to the agency, 75.8 per cent of affected health zones reported new infections in the past 21 days.

The WHO stressed the need to strengthen key control measures, improve access to affected areas and expand community outreach to build trust and encourage public participation in the response.

The outbreak has also raised concerns over cross-border transmission, with cases reportedly reaching Uganda, France, Kenya and Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to convene a virtual meeting of health ministers on Wednesday to coordinate regional response efforts and accelerate support for affected areas.

The meeting is expected to focus on strengthening border surveillance and improving preparedness across the continent as the outbreak enters its seventh month.