DR Congo's Ebola cases rise to 689 as health authorities warn of response challenges

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has risen to 689, including 139 deaths, according to the latest situation report released by health authorities on Friday.

The report recorded 17 new confirmed cases and five additional deaths on Thursday, all in the eastern province of Ituri, which remains the epicenter of the outbreak.

The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has spread across 29 health zones in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu. Health authorities have also reported 168 suspected cases, including 64 deaths, as investigations continue.

Officials say the response is being hampered by a range of operational challenges, including community reluctance to allow post-mortem testing, limited capacity at Ebola treatment centers, shortages of infection prevention and control supplies in North Kivu, weak disease surveillance and reporting systems, and a funding shortfall estimated at $21.5 million.

The United Nations Refugee Agency has also raised concerns about the outbreak's impact on vulnerable populations. In a report released on Thursday, the agency said two Ebola-related deaths had been recorded in a camp for internally displaced people in Ituri Province.

The DR Congo Ministry of Health officially declared the outbreak on May 15 and is the country's 17th Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified near the Ebola River in 1976.

Health authorities, supported by regional and international partners, continue to strengthen surveillance, contact tracing, laboratory testing and treatment efforts as they seek to contain the spread of the disease and prevent further cross-border transmission.