UN‑backed Ebola treatment centre opens in eastern DRC amid rising cases

The United Nations announced the opening of new Ebola treatment centres in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after confirmed cases surged sharply over the weekend, marking the largest outbreak of the virus in the country’s history. The additional facilities will be located in the provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, where the disease has been spreading most rapidly.

Health authorities report that the number of laboratory‑confirmed cases climbed to more than 1,200 in the past 24 hours, with over 300 new infections recorded in the last 48 hours. The DRC’s Ministry of Health, in partnership with the World Health Organization and Médecins Sans Frontières, is expanding its response capacity to include increased testing, contact tracing, and community education programmes. The new centres are expected to relieve pressure on existing hospitals and improve isolation and treatment for patients.

The UN’s decision comes as the international community intensifies efforts to contain the outbreak. While the exact cause of the recent spike remains under investigation, officials attribute it to a combination of delayed reporting, limited access to healthcare in remote areas, and the virus’s high transmissibility. The expansion of treatment infrastructure is a key step toward reducing transmission and protecting vulnerable populations in the eastern DRC.