DRC Ebola death toll rises to 1,657 as outbreak expands

KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo — The country's National Institute of Public Health confirmed that the Ebola death toll has climbed to 1,657, with 3,748 confirmed cases recorded since the outbreak was declared on May 15. The institute reported 74 new cases, 36 deaths and 42 recoveries in the past 24 hours alone. The World Health Organization warned that the persistent rise in case counts, geographic spread and mortality rate signals a rapidly evolving public health emergency. The agency noted that the current trajectory represents a new dimension in the outbreak and pointed to a different strain of the virus. Health authorities said no approved vaccine or treatment exists for the specific Ebola strain identified in the outbreak. Surveillance and case management operations are continuing at scale as health agencies work to contain the spread.