DRC Ebola Cases Hit 710

(MENAFN) The confirmed Ebola caseload in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has climbed to 710, with 149 fatalities recorded, the country's health ministry announced Saturday — while moving swiftly to dispel viral social media claims that a nationwide lockdown had been enacted in response to the spiraling outbreak.

The case fatality rate currently stands at 21.0 percent, according to ministry figures. A total of 324 patients remain in isolation or under hospital care, while 35 individuals have recovered.

The ministry said the government, working alongside provincial authorities, response partners, and local communities, is pressing ahead with public health interventions designed to sever chains of transmission and shield the broader population.

Field response teams are actively conducting epidemiological surveillance, patient care, contact tracing, targeted vaccination, risk communication, and community engagement across affected zones.

Authorities firmly denied that any lockdown had been ordered in impacted areas, stressing that no such measure was under consideration, and called on the public to refrain from circulating unverified information — directing citizens instead to official channels for reliable updates.

The World Health Organization warned in a disease outbreak update published Saturday that the DRC crisis continues to evolve at a rapid pace, with both case numbers and geographic spread on the rise.

The WHO cautioned that the reported fatality rate likely underestimates the true toll, as numerous deaths that occurred before the outbreak was formally declared remain under active investigation.

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