Africa health body wants urgent action as Ebola cases top 2,400 in DR Congo

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) director general encouraged urgent action Tuesday to contain the escalating Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, warning that if countries "don't stop the virus now it will become the worst outbreak the world has ever documented."

Sixty-five days into the current outbreak, the number of confirmed cases reached 2,423 on Tuesday, including 967 deaths, since the outbreak was declared May 15, according to a Health Ministry update.

The case fatality rate stands at 39.9%, while the contact tracing rate is 81.1%.

"The Ebola outbreak is escalating at an alarming pace. We must act now. If we do not stop it today, this will become the worst outbreak the world has ever documented," Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC director-general, said in a post on US social media company X. "This is not the time for delay. We must mobilize every available resource, strengthen the response on the ground and stop this outbreak before more lives are lost."

The virus has affected five provinces, including Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tshopo.

Ituri remains the epicenter of the epidemic caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, with sustained transmission.

Kaseya said there is a need to remember that behind every statistic is a person, a family and a community.

The number of affected health zones increased from 36 to 42 in the last week, according to the World Health Organization.