The number of confirmed deaths caused by a recent outbreak of Ebola has risen to 115 in Congo, local authorities said on Wednesday.
A total of 598 infections have been confirmed since the outbreak began in the east of the country in April, the Information Ministry said.
Another 19 cases and two deaths have so far been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda, which is also affected.
Ebola is a life-threatening disease. The virus is transmitted through physical contact and contact with bodily fluids.
The current outbreak is particularly difficult to contain, partly because there is currently neither a vaccine nor a specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus.
The mortality rate for this outbreak stands at 19.2%, the ministry said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), to stop the spread of the disease, it is necessary to identify and monitor 90% of all people who have been in contact with an infected person.
Currently, contact tracing stands at around 56.3%, according to the ministry in Kinshasa.
In the Ituri region of north-eastern Congo, where the current outbreak is centred, the existing medical infrastructure is already weak under normal circumstances. An additional challenge for volunteers is the insecurity in the conflict-ridden region, where several armed militias are active.
