Ebola outbreak spreads to 6th Congolese province

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have recorded a death from Ebola in a province not previously affected by the current outbreak, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said Thursday.

The death brings the total to six provinces affected.

The case involves a patient who died in Bas-Uele's capital, Buta, after developing haemorrhagic symptoms consistent with Ebola, Jean Kaseya, the director general of African CDC, said at a virtual news conference from the Central African Republic capital of Bangui.

The patient travelled from Haut-Uele province, already affected, to Bas-Uele province, where he passed it on, he said, adding that while five provinces were affected, the country now has a sixth.

The latest situation update report showed confirmed cases have hit 4,449, including 2,061 deaths since the outbreak was declared in May.

Officials said the latest victim was a motorcycle taxi driver who visited several health facilities before his death, according to media reports, raising fears that he could have infected several people.

Kaseya believes that the epidemic is not under control and that its expansion is not contained, with more than 63% of deaths happening in communities instead of treatment centers.

The epidemic had until recently affected five provinces, including Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tshopo.

Ituri remains the epicenter of the epidemic caused by the Bundibugyo virus strain, with sustained transmission.

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Wednesday that the outbreak in Congo is "on track to eclipse" the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic at its current pace.

The outbreak is already the second-biggest Ebola epidemic on record and is spreading faster than any previous outbreak, according to WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.