DRC Records 72 New Ebola Cases in One Day as Two New Areas Affected

Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo recorded 72 new confirmed Ebola cases on June 13, the largest single-day increase since the outbreak began one month earlier. The total number of confirmed cases reached 782, and 29 deaths brought the fatality count to 181, according to the DRC Ministry of Health.

The majority of cases remain concentrated in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces.

Two health zones reported their first cases: Nia-Nia in Ituri and Mabalako in North Kivu, raising the number of affected zones to 31. 5 percent of identified contacts, well below the 90 to 95 percent target set by the World Health Organization. DRC health officials cited community hesitance and shortages of medicines and infection-control supplies as ongoing obstacles.

Uganda has recorded 19 confirmed cases and two deaths linked to cross-border transmission from the DRC, the World Health Organization reported. S. State Department announced plans to provide $50 million to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to develop vaccines and treatments against the Bundibugyo strain driving the current outbreak.

The department has already committed more than $270 million directly to the Ebola response. -funded partners have screened more than 6,300 people in Ituri Province, supported 100 health facilities, and carried out 200 safe burials. Last week, United Nations agencies warned that children in eastern DRC could face increasing household transmission as the outbreak evolves.

Dr. Douglas Noble, UNICEF global lead for public health emergencies and global incident manager for Ebola, said on Friday that capacity to absorb additional stressors was already stretched. In past outbreaks, children accounted for a significant share of cases and an even greater share of deaths, with the youngest facing the highest fatality rates, Noble said.