DRC Ebola Outbreak Records Highest Daily Case Count as It Marks One-Month Milestone

The Democratic Republic of Congo's health ministry said 72 new confirmed Ebola cases were recorded on June 13, raising the cumulative tally to 782 since the outbreak was first identified a month ago. The same day, 29 deaths were added, bringing the death count to 181.

The surge expanded the outbreak to 31 health zones, with new cases reported in Nia-Nia in Ituri province and Mabalako in North Kivu. The majority of infections continue to be concentrated in the northeastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.

Contact tracing is lagging, with only 56.5% of identified contacts followed up, far short of the 90%-95% level recommended by the World Health Organization for effective containment. Health officials also noted community hesitancy and shortages of medicines and infection-control supplies.

Across the border, Uganda has confirmed 19 Ebola cases and two deaths, largely linked to transmission from the DRC, according to WHO data.

"As the outbreak evolves, we must be prepared for increasing household transmission which means we may see more children affected in the days ahead," said Dr. Douglas Noble, UNICEF's global lead for public health emergencies.

The United Nations warned that children in eastern DRC could become increasingly impacted, citing challenges in tracking pediatric cases due to limited surveillance.

The U.S. State Department announced a $50 million contribution to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to support vaccine and treatment development for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola driving the current outbreak, and confirmed a total commitment of more than $270 million to the response, including screening over 6,300 people in Ituri, supporting 100 health facilities and conducting 200 safe burials.