Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are celebrating a significant milestone in the fight against Ebola after four patients who had contracted the virus recovered and were discharged from hospital over the weekend.

The new recoveries bring to five the total number of patients that successfully beat the deadly disease.

The development comes as the country continues to battle a deadly outbreak that has claimed dozens of lives and is suspected to have killed hundreds more. 

Health officials say the survivors' recovery offers a powerful reminder that early treatment can save lives.

The latest patients to recover were nurses who had been caring for people sick with Ebola at their facility last month. They were discharged from a hospital in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province.

The discharge ceremony was attended by senior health officials, including World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"You are living proof that this outbreak can be stopped," Tedros told the recovered healthcare workers during his visit to Bunia.

The nurses described the emotional toll of battling the disease and the fear they faced while in isolation.

"We were really demoralized because we knew that at some point we were going to die," nurse Etienne Ezo told Reuters. "If you have never been isolated, you will not know that it is not easy."

Healthcare workers remain on the frontlines of the response and are among those most vulnerable to infection due to their close contact with patients.

272 confirmed across the DRC and Uganda

According to the WHO and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the DR Congo has recorded 263 confirmed Ebola cases during the current outbreak, while Uganda has reported nine cases.

The WHO reported 43 confirmed deaths as of Saturday, including 42 in the DR Congo and one in Uganda. 

However, health authorities believe the true toll could be significantly higher, with hundreds of suspected deaths still under investigation. Africa CDC says more than 1,100 suspected cases remain under review across the two countries.

In an effort to contain the outbreak, the WHO and the Congolese Ministry of Health have announced plans to accelerate randomized controlled trials of experimental vaccines and treatments. 

The initiative is being supported by international health partners seeking to curb the spread of the virus and improve patient outcomes.

Tedros emphasized that survival is possible even without approved vaccines or specific treatments, provided patients receive medical care early.

"People can survive Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus if they receive timely healthcare and seek treatment as soon as symptoms appear," he said.

To strengthen access to care, health authorities and their partners have opened a new Ebola treatment centre in Bunia. 

The facility is expected to improve access to life-saving treatment for patients and help reduce transmission within affected communities.

Health officials continue to urge anyone experiencing Ebola symptoms to seek immediate medical attention, stressing that early diagnosis and treatment remain critical in controlling the outbreak and improving survival rates.

(With input from wires)