Ebola Outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo Claims Over 400 Lives; First Case Confirmed in Major Northeastern City

(Kinshasa, July 2) The death toll from the Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) has surpassed 400, with the first confirmed case reported in the major northeastern city of Kisangani, according to the latest official data released today.

Agence France-Presse reported that the DR Congo National Institute of Public Health (INSP) announced today that since the new wave of the Ebola outbreak began on May 15, 438 people have died among 1,406 confirmed cases, with a fatality rate slightly over 31%.

The current outbreak, primarily occurring in the Ituri Province and caused by the rare Bundibugyo Ebola virus strain, currently has no vaccine or treatment and set a record for the most severe outbreak in its first month. Officials admit that the actual number of cases may be significantly higher than currently reported.

The first Ebola case was recently confirmed in Kisangani, a major city in northeastern DR Congo. The INSP stated that the virus was detected in the body of a 24-year-old pregnant woman from the city. Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo Province, has a population of approximately 1.5 million and is located about 600 kilometers from Ituri Province.

The INSP indicated that the body of the confirmed case was "secretly transported from a medical area in Ituri Province to Kisangani" by motorcycle. The bodies of Ebola patients remain highly infectious.

The Ebola virus is primarily transmitted through direct contact with infected animals or human bodily fluids, or through contact with objects contaminated with such fluids. The Bundibugyo strain is one of the four Ebola virus species known to cause fatal illness in humans. (Intern Editor: Tseng Yi-chieh / Editor: Hung Chi-yuan) 1150702

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