Ebola death toll in DR Congo surpasses 1,000

Key Points:

• Over 1,000 people have died and 2,536 cases of Ebola have been recorded in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since the epidemic was declared on May 15, with the outbreak showing no signs of slowing.
• Congolese Prime Minister Judith Suminwa is visiting Ebola hotspots in the east, accompanied by US and UN officials, to assess the situation amid overwhelmed hospitals and strained health responders.
• The outbreak is spreading at the fastest rate on record in eastern Congo, exacerbated by armed conflict, displaced populations in Ituri province, and highly mobile artisanal gold miners who risk further transmission.
• Funding shortfalls and poor working conditions have hampered the response, with many health workers unpaid and some going on strike, while Ebola treatment centers operate at full capacity, forcing patients to wait at home.
• The virus has recently spread beyond Ituri to the provinces of Tshopo and Haut-Uele, with confirmed deaths in Kisangani, a major trading hub linked to the capital Kinshasa, raising concerns about further geographic expansion.