The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has climbed to 933, including 245 deaths, Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba has said.
Speaking in Ituri province, where the outbreak was first identified, Samuel Roger Kamba also confirmed that 80 patients have recovered and been discharged from treatment centres.
The figures highlight the growing scale of the outbreak, which has continued to spread since it was officially declared on May 15.
Medical staff are among those most affected, with the World Health Organization reporting a significant number of infections among frontline workers.
A senior WHO official said 75 healthcare workers had contracted the virus during the outbreak, 17 of whom had died.
Health authorities believe Ebola may have been circulating for months before it was formally identified, meaning many medics were exposed without adequate protective equipment.
Officials say the outbreak is placing immense pressure on an already under-resourced health system.
“It is a really high price that the system, the healthcare system, is paying, because we don't have enough healthcare workers in DRC,” said WHO emergency director Marie Roseline Belizaire.
She added that shortages of basic protective gear, including gloves and masks, are making the situation even more dangerous for those on the front line.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has one of the lowest ratios of healthcare workers in the world, with around 11 per 10,000 people, according to WHO data.
The limited workforce has compounded the impact of infections among medical staff, further straining the country’s ability to respond effectively.
To help address the gap, international support is being mobilised. Belizaire said China and Uganda have begun sending medical teams to assist with the response.
Beyond physical risk, the outbreak is also taking a mental toll on healthcare workers.
The WHO has begun providing psychological support to medics who are struggling after witnessing colleagues fall ill.
“When they are explaining to you how they live it, how they were infected … it can break your heart,” Marie Roseline Belizaire said.
Some staff have reportedly been reluctant to treat patients out of fear, highlighting the emotional strain of working in such conditions.
The combination of rising infections, limited resources and pressure on health workers is raising concerns about authorities’ ability to contain the outbreak quickly.
Officials warn that improving protection for medical staff and strengthening the healthcare response will be critical to slowing transmission.
As infections continue to rise, authorities and international partners face an urgent challenge to prevent the outbreak from escalating further.
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