Ebola deaths were recorded at a rate of nearly one every 28 minutes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last week, with 2,325 deaths and 4,945 confirmed cases reported as of August 16, according to government data. The death toll has surpassed the 2,299 fatalities recorded during the country's 2018–2020 outbreak.

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, was declared on May 15. It is now the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak globally, behind the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people.

The virus is also spreading faster than health teams can track. Between 60% and 70% of new cases are being detected among people who were not previously listed as contacts, highlighting gaps in surveillance and contact tracing.

UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher urged authorities and aid agencies to double the number of teams carrying out safe burials, triple treatment capacity, strengthen contact tracing and deploy more experienced managers.

"Ebola is winning in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We cannot let the virus outrun our response," he said.

Fletcher announced an additional $30.5 million from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund, bringing the total allocated to DR Congo and neighbouring countries to more than $54 million. The UN has also deployed 20 additional humanitarian staff to the outbreak's epicentre, while the World Food Programme is expanding food assistance at Ebola treatment centres.

Hospitals under growing pressure

The outbreak is increasingly straining ordinary hospitals and clinics.

Dedicated beds for suspected Ebola patients in North Kivu province were fully occupied by August 15, while suspected cases in Butembo, Masereka, Vuhovi and Kalunguta were being isolated in existing health facilities that had not been designated as Ebola transit centres, according to the country's public health institute.

At least 155 health workers had contracted Ebola and 45 had died as of August 9, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report published on August 14.

The infections underscore persistent weaknesses in infection prevention and control, particularly outside designated Ebola treatment centres, the WHO said.

(With input from wires)