More than 90 deaths have been recorded across three provinces in DR Congo, the health authorities said

The Ebola outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) has surpassed 500 confirmed cases, according to the latest figures released by the National Institute of Public Health.

On Sunday, the authorities recorded 515 confirmed infections and 91 deaths across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu, bringing the overall case fatality rate to 17.7%. More than half of all patients remain under isolation or hospital care, while only 12 people have officially recovered.

The epidemic remains overwhelmingly concentrated in Ituri province, which accounts for 487 of the 515 confirmed cases - nearly 95% of the total.

The outbreak is being fueled by a combination of insecurity, population displacement, and cross-border movement, the authorities stated. The DR Congo declared the epidemic on May 15, marking the country's 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was first identified there in 1976. Later, the WHO classified the Bundibugyo strain detected in the country and neighboring Uganda as a public health emergency of international concern. There is currently no approved vaccine.

On Friday, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said a testing backlog of more than 1,100 suspected cases was reduced to 116 by June 3, while confirmed infections rose to 397 as samples were processed.

In addition, the agency reported 16 confirmed cases and one death in neighboring Uganda.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and Africa CDC announced a joint $518 million Ebola preparedness and response plan for Africa, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Friday. The program will focus on emergency coordination, disease surveillance, laboratory testing, infection control, patient care, community engagement, and logistics support.

"This plan is designed for the period from June to November of this year," Tedros said.

The joint project "gives the continent a clear path to act with speed and unity to save lives, support the affected countries, and protect neighboring communities," Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said.

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Earlier this month, Mauritius imposed temporary entry restrictions on travelers arriving from the DR Congo, Uganda, and South Sudan, with returning residents subject to a 21-day quarantine.

(RT.com)