DR Congo reports 956 confirmed Ebola cases, 247 deaths

KINSHASA -- The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 956, including 247 deaths, according to the latest situation report released Saturday by the country's health authorities.

Twenty-three new confirmed cases, including two deaths, were reported Friday in the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu. Ituri remains the epicenter of the outbreak, with 874 confirmed cases and 201 deaths, accounting for more than 91 percent of the country's confirmed cases.

A total of 92 patients have recovered, while 361 patients were in isolation or hospitalized.

The report also said 162 suspected cases were identified during the day, while the contact-tracing rate stood at 69.3 percent, below the 95-percent target set by health authorities.

At a press briefing Friday evening, DRC Health Minister Roger Kamba said the outbreak remained in an upward phase, with more confirmed cases expected as response teams expanded active case-finding and moved deeper into affected communities.

Kamba added that the authorities will only be able to say that the outbreak has reached its peak, plateaued, or begun to decline once the weekly figures have stabilized or begun to fall. For now, he said, efforts to detect cases, isolate and treat patients, and strengthen community engagement must continue.

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, was declared by the DRC authorities on May 15.