News Center — Amid health and logistical challenges hindering containment efforts, the spread of the Ebola virus continues notably in several African regions, as health authorities continue to monitor new cases and expand field surveillance amid fears of the outbreak's expansion in the coming period.

The confirmed Ebola infection toll in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 1,830 cases, including 648 deaths, according to the latest government data released on Friday evening, July 10. These figures include the total recorded infections up to Thursday.

The epidemiological situation report shows new cases recorded in the past 24 hours. The Congolese Minister of Health explained that authorities have officially expanded the scope of areas affected by the Ebola outbreak to include the Tshopo and Haut-Uélé provinces in the north and northeast of the country.

The World Health Organization stated that the actual scope of the Ebola outbreak in Congo may be two to four times larger than official data, noting that four out of every five new infections in some areas of the country are not linked to known cases.

These figures reflect the challenges faced by health workers in their efforts to contain the outbreak in the northeast of the country. WHO estimates, based on computational models and test positivity rates, indicate that the outbreak announced in mid-May may be two to four times larger than confirmed cases.

It is worth noting that approximately 90% of all reported Ebola cases remain concentrated in Ituri Province, although the virus has spread beyond this epicenter to Tshopo Province. Congolese authorities declared a new Ebola outbreak on May 15, after the disease had been transmitting for weeks without detection, according to WHO. The latest outbreak was caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no licensed vaccine or treatment.