The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has expanded to two additional northeastern provinces, Haut-Uele and Tshopo, according to the country's public health institute.The confirmed cases have surged to 1,926, with 702 fatalities reported.The spread to these provinces, which were previously unaffected, has prompted authorities to classify them as epidemic zones.The outbreak, declared on May 15, has primarily affected Ituri province but now includes North Kivu and South Kivu.

Health officials note that the virus spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids, causing severe symptoms like high fever and internal bleeding.

While initial investigations suggest cases in the new provinces are imported from Ituri, the World Health Organisation warns that the true scale of the outbreak may be two to four times higher than reported.This highlights the challenges in tracking the virus, as many cases lack links to known patients.The situation underscores the need for enhanced containment measures and international collaboration to curb the spread.