Government data released last Friday evening revealed that the number of confirmed Ebola cases in Congo has risen to 1,830, including 648 deaths, according to the official report documenting cases recorded in the previous 24 hours through Thursday.

An American citizen working for a humanitarian organization in Congo infected with Ebola

This increase reflects the continued spread of the virus in affected areas, amid challenges facing health teams in containing the outbreak, especially in hard-to-reach communities, further complicating rapid response efforts.

In a related context, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that an American citizen working for a humanitarian organization in Congo has been infected with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.

The agency confirmed that it is working with the organization, federal agencies, and partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to prevent the spread of infection and identify those most at risk of exposure.

The Congolese Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, is working to enhance surveillance and contact tracing, and to raise the readiness of treatment centers, in an attempt to reduce transmission and deaths, while international entities stress that the situation requires additional support to ensure the sustainability of health interventions.