Health officials in Congo reported late Sunday that confirmed Ebola infections in the country’s ongoing outbreak have climbed to 1,003, with 254 people losing their lives to the disease.
According to Congo’s Ministry of Health, the outbreak has been concentrated in the Ituri province since it was officially declared on May 15. Of those infected, 100 individuals have successfully recovered.
The outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no vaccines or approved treatments available. In its first month alone, it became the deadliest outbreak of its kind on record. Authorities have acknowledged that the true number of cases is likely much higher than what has been confirmed, and that the worst of the crisis may still be ahead.
One of the biggest challenges facing local health authorities is contact tracing — the process of identifying and monitoring people who may have been exposed to infected individuals. So far, officials have only managed to trace about 55% of known contacts, according to the ministry.
Adding to the difficulty, health workers have not yet been able to identify the outbreak’s original patient, and more than 35,000 people who came into contact with infected individuals as of last week still need to be tracked down and monitored.
