Ebola virus spreads to new Congolese health zone: WHO

The number of health zones affected by Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increased to 61 across six provinces after the virus spread to the Kayna Health Zone in North Kivu province, the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa region office said in a situation report late Tuesday.

At least 6,686 cases have been recorded, including 3,226 deaths, since the outbreak in mid-May, according to the report.

The report said the epidemiological pattern of the Bundibugyo virus strain outbreak in Congo is becoming increasingly heterogeneous, with divergent transmission trends across affected provinces and health zones.

"The trends reinforce an increasingly heterogeneous epidemic, with declining transmission in some areas occurring alongside intensification and continued geographic spread elsewhere," the report said.

Affected provinces include Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele and Tshopo.

Ituri remains the principal focus, while substantial transmission continues in North Kivu and Haut-Uele and new areas continue to be affected.

WHO highlighted the rising proportion of deaths occurring in the community.

Between Aug. 31 and Sept. 6, the proportion of confirmed deaths in the community reached 75%, up from 56.6% two weeks earlier.

The report underlined that the persistence of high community mortality may reflect multiple barriers, including delayed detection and notification, delayed transfer to treatment facilities, limited recognition of illness, geographic and transport barriers, as well as community trust.

"This divergence is concerning, as the increase in community deaths alongside the continued decline in treatment facilities deaths indicates that the earlier reduction in overall mortality has not been sustained," the report said.

The Congolese government and health partners last week launched a revised 180-day multisectoral plan worth $1.3 billion aimed at scaling up and coordinating the response to break chains of virus transmission.

It provides for a massive strengthening of epidemiological surveillance, contact tracing, community engagement, risk communication and logistical capacity, as well as the preparation of at-risk provinces.