Key facts
- Nearly 500 Ebola cases confirmed in Central Africa outbreak.
- 452 confirmed cases and 82 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- 19 confirmed cases and two deaths in Uganda.
- Outbreak declared three weeks ago in DR Congo.
- Chinese medical team arrived in DR Congo for a three-month mission.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that nearly 500 Ebola cases have been confirmed in a significant outbreak affecting central Africa. According to the WHO's daily update, there are 452 confirmed cases, resulting in 82 deaths, within the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), where the outbreak was officially declared three weeks prior. In neighboring Uganda, the WHO has counted 19 confirmed cases and two associated deaths. The escalating number of cases has raised concerns about the growing scale of the epidemic. A Chinese team of medical experts has arrived in the Democratic Republic of Congo for a three-month frontline mission to contain an expanding Ebola outbreak across a mining region dense with Beijing-backed mineral investments. The five-member team of specialists in epidemiology, clinical medicine, research and traditional Chinese medicine arrived in the capital Kinshasa on Tuesday. According to China's National Health Commission, the experts will work with local authorities to strengthen Ebola containment efforts.