The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 689, including 139 deaths. According to the latest report by health authorities, 17 new cases and five additional deaths have been recorded in Ituri province.
The outbreak, linked to the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has spread across 29 health zones in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.
Authorities have raised concerns over shortages of medical supplies, limited treatment capacity and a funding shortfall of 21.5 million dollars.
The report also highlighted several operational challenges, including reluctance to undergo post-mortem swabbing, insufficient capacity in Ebola treatment centers, shortages of infection prevention and control materials in North Kivu, weak alert reporting across the three provinces, and a funding gap of $21.5 million.