To date, outbreaks have been reported in four provinces: North Kivu, South Kivu, Tanganyika and Maniema, the first two of which are among the most affected by the conflict.

According to OCHA, humanitarian partners are responding with treatment and outreach campaigns, but medical supplies, protective equipment and health facilities are in short supply.

“The outbreak appears to be worsening in Maniema province, where health authorities report a case fatality rate of 13%, well above the emergency threshold of two percent,” the agency said.

It added that the area is already under pressure due to the arrival of thousands of displaced people since January, fleeing violence in North and South Kivu.

From the beginning of March, OCHA has been warning about the rapid spread of the disease and the conditions conducive to contagion, as occurred in Uvira, South Kivu, where health authorities recorded more than 200 new cases and two deaths in a two-day period.

jrr/arm/jha/kmg