Ebola deaths in DR Congo rise to 1,405, health authorities say

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo said the death toll from an Ebola outbreak that began in the country's east in late April has risen to 1,405. Officials reported that the number of laboratory-confirmed cases has reached 3,200, with the case fatality rate climbing to 43.9%. Health experts warned that the actual number of patients could be higher than the official figures because some cases go unreported or undetected. Investigators believe the virus circulated silently in eastern Congo for weeks before being identified, contributing to the spread of the outbreak. Response efforts have faced serious obstacles, including armed group activity in the region and a lack of trust toward humanitarian teams. Cases have been detected in five of the country's 26 provinces, with northeastern Ituri province serving as the main epicenter of the outbreak. Neighboring Uganda has also reported Ebola cases, with at least two deaths recorded. Ebola is a highly lethal disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals.