KINSHASA, July 14 (Xinhua) -- The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has surpassed 2,000, reaching 2,011, including 754 deaths, according to a situation report released Tuesday by the country's health authorities.
The outbreak has affected five provinces, namely Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo. Ituri remains the epicenter.
A total of 366 patients have recovered, while 753 people remain in isolation.
The report said transmission remains intense in Ituri, confirming the province as the main hotspot of the outbreak. The emergence of new cases in Haut-Uele indicates a further geographical spread, requiring an immediate strengthening of surveillance, diagnostic capacity and operational preparedness.
The outbreak remains in a phase of "sustained transmission," marked by a rapid rise in cases since it began, the report said.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was declared on May 15.
