Ebola cases have dipped slightly in the past weeks in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but the decline should be interpreted with extreme caution, due to the complex environment and fragile security situation, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a statement Friday.
Part of the decline reflects fewer cases in Katwa, which has been the main Ebola epicenter over the past several weeks, the UN agency said.
Aside from a drop in cases, the WHO said in its latest situation report that it sees other encouraging signs, including lower proportions of healthcare-related infections and community deaths.
Also, it said outbreak responders are reporting higher proportions of contacts registering when cases are detected.
“Operations are still regularly hampered by security issues, and the risk of national and regional spread remains very high,” the WHO said.
The latest illnesses lift the outbreak total to 1,945 cases, which includes 1,851 confirmed and 94 probable infections.
Health officials are still investigating 383 suspected cases.
Six more people died from Ebola, one of them a patient who died in a community setting in Katwa and five who died in Ebola treatment centers, including three in Butembo and two in Mabalako.
Deaths now total 1,287.
All alerts in affected areas, in other provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in neighbouring countries continue to be monitored and investigated, the UN agency said.
CU/as/APA