Confirmed Ebola cases in eastern Congo have passed 1,000, with 254 people dead since the outbreak began in May, health officials said Sunday.
The outbreak is centred in Ituri province, where 100 people have recovered and hundreds more remain in hospital or isolation. The disease is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine or treatment.
Health officials say tracing people who may have been exposed to the virus remains a major challenge. So far, only about 55 per cent of contacts have been identified and monitored. Authorities have also not yet found the first person infected in the outbreak.
Ongoing violence in eastern Congo has made the response more difficult, limiting access to some communities and forcing many people to flee their homes.
Concerns are also growing in displacement camps. At the Kigonze camp near Bunia, officials reported 10 unexplained deaths last week. While no Ebola cases have been confirmed there, health workers are investigating.
Aid agencies warn that millions of displaced people living in areas at risk could face serious danger if the outbreak continues to spread.
