DR Congo Ebola cases top 5,200; Africa CDC warns outbreak far larger
Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have surpassed 5,200, with health officials warning that the actual infection count could be three times higher. The government is launching emergency surveillance along the Congo River to prevent the virus from spreading to major urban centers.
Why it matters
Under-detection of Ebola in high-traffic regions poses a significant risk of a large-scale regional epidemic that could overwhelm public health infrastructure.
By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser.
Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have topped 5,200, but Africa's top public health agency warned Thursday that the official count may account for only 30 to 40% of infections, suggesting the outbreak could be up to three times larger than reported.
The warning came as the DRC government launched an emergency initiative Thursday to reinforce surveillance along the Congo River, seeking to prevent one of Central Africa's busiest transport corridors from carrying the virus toward major cities, including the capital Kinshasa.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in