Geneva, Aug. 2 (SANA)TheWorld Health Organization (WHO) said the Democratic Republic of theCongois experiencing its largestEbola outbreakon record, with infections and deaths surpassing those recorded during the country’s 2018–2020 epidemic.

In its latest disease outbreak report, published on the social media platform X, theUN health agencysaid that as of Thursday, 3,605 confirmed cases and 1,587 deaths had been recorded.

The WHO said the past week saw the highest weekly totals since the outbreak began, with 567 new confirmed cases and 296 deaths, underscoring what it described as an exceptionally rapid rate of transmission.

The outbreak has continued to spread geographically, affecting five provinces—Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Uele and Tshopo—and now extends across 49 health zones, the agency said.

Congolese health authorities, working with the WHO and international partners, are continuing large-scale response efforts. However, the organization warned that a substantial increase in resources and response activities is needed to bring the outbreak under control.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected people or their bodily fluids and causes severe hemorrhagic fever. The virus has claimed more than 15,000 lives across Africa over the past five decades.