Ebola death toll in Democratic Republic of Congo surpasses 200

The Ebola virus continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of Congo, with the death toll now exceeding 200, according to the Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC). The agency reported 204 deaths including two patients who died in neighboring Uganda, and 894 confirmed cases, 875 of which are in Congo. Seventy-four people have recovered.

Health officials expressed significant concern over the low rate of contact tracing. Wessam Mankoula, an Africa CDC representative, stated that only 4,112 contacts of confirmed Ebola patients are being actively monitored, despite an estimated 35,000 existing contacts. "We are very far from having the situation under control," Mankoula said.

Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa CDC, had previously warned that the outbreak could become worse than previous ones in West Africa and eastern Congo if not stopped soon. In response to the escalating crisis, the German government announced it would provide an additional 13 million euros to support containment efforts. Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan (SPD) described herself as "deeply concerned" about the outbreak.

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We are very far from having the situation under control.