The death toll from the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has climbed to 131, with more than 500 suspected cases now recorded. The World Health Organization said it was "deeply concerned" by the scale and pace of the epidemic.
According to Congo's health minister, Samuel-Roger Kamba, the outbreak, centred in the country's northeast, has spread beyond its original hotspot and crossed international borders, prompting the WHO to declare a public health emergency of international concern.
"We have recorded roughly 131 deaths in total and around 513 suspected cases," Kamba told Congolese national television overnight.
The figures mark a sharp increase on the previous reported toll of 91 deaths from 350 suspected cases.
Kamba stressed that the numbers remained provisional, cautioning that laboratory testing was still limited and that further investigations were needed to confirm whether all the deaths were linked to Ebola.
The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Ebola has killed more than 15,000 people across Africa over the past 50 years.
WHO raises alarm
Speaking at the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he had not declared the emergency status lightly.
"I am deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic," Tedros told delegates.
The WHO also announced that an emergency committee would meet later on Tuesday to discuss the rapidly evolving situation.
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The outbreak's epicentre lies in Ituri province, near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. The area's role as a busy gold-mining hub means people frequently cross porous borders, increasing the risk of transmission.
Uganda has already reported cases linked to the outbreak, while Congolese authorities say infections have spread into neighbouring provinces.
Kamba said suspected cases had emerged in Butembo, a major commercial centre in North Kivu province around 200 kilometres from the epicentre. A further case was identified in Goma, the strategic provincial capital currently controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia.
Health officials say containment efforts have been hampered by local mistrust and misinformation.
"Unfortunately, the alert was slow to circulate within the community, because people thought it was a mystical illness, and as a result the sick were not taken to hospital," Kamba said.
International response
As international concern grows, Germany confirmed it had agreed to treat an American citizen who contracted Ebola in Congo.
In a statement, the German health ministry said US authorities had requested assistance from Berlin to care for the patient. "Arrangements are currently being made to receive and treat the patient in Germany," the ministry said, without giving details on the timing of the transfer or the hospital involved.
The announcement came as the United States said on Monday it was tightening precautions against the spread of Ebola, including screening air travellers arriving from affected areas and temporarily suspending visa services.
The outbreak has revived memories of previous Ebola epidemics in central and west Africa, while also highlighting improvements in international coordination and surveillance developed in recent years.
Health experts say rapid case identification, stronger community engagement and cross-border cooperation will be critical to limiting the spread of the virus in the weeks ahead.
(With newswires)
