The Death Case of the Ebola Outbreak in Congo Rises to 245 People

JAKARTA - The number of confirmed deaths from the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to climb to 245 cases as of Saturday, June 19 local time.

The Minister of Public Health of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Samuel Roger Kamba, explained that currently 933 cases of Ebola have been confirmed in Congo.

"The current epidemiological situation is as follows: overall, there are 933 confirmed cases, including 245 deaths registered," Kamba told reporters in Bunia, the administrative center of the most affected Ituri Province, as quoted by the Congo News Agency (ACP) via Tass.

"The death rate is 26 percent. A total of 416 people have been hospitalized, while 80 people have recovered and have been discharged from the hospital," he continued.

Kamba admitted that his country has made progress in efforts to curb the spread of the outbreak. According to him, case detection has increased, and public confidence in the health care system has also jumped.

The Ebola outbreak began in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo since May 15. Cases and deaths due to Ebola have also been reported from neighboring Uganda.