Congo reports 72 new Ebola cases Sunday, one of the largest daily jumps since outbreak was declared

By — Jean-Yves Kamale, Associated Press Jean-Yves Kamale, Associated Press By — Mark Banchereau, Associated Press Mark Banchereau, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/congo-reports-72-new-ebola-cases-sunday-one-of-the-largest-daily-jumps-since-outbreak-was-declared Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Congo reports 72 new Ebola cases Sunday, one of the largest daily jumps since outbreak was declared World Jun 15, 2026 11:48 AM EDT KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — Congolese authorities have reported one of the highest daily increases in Ebola cases in a month-old outbreak as the virus spreads quickly in a remote region whose shifting population challenges efforts to find those exposed. Congo's Ministry of Health on Sunday said 72 new cases were reported in a 24-hour period, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 782 . Those include 181 confirmed deaths, with 29 new ones. WATCH: How the loss of USAID has weakened the fight against Ebola "One month on, the Ebola disease outbreak is outpacing the response effort," Kate White, emergency medical coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in Congo, said Monday. "No one knows the true scale or exactly where the disease is spreading in Congo." The medical charity said treatment centers in the epicenter of the outbreak are overwhelmed, many patients arrive in advanced stages of illness and most were not identified as contacts of infected people before seeking care. Congo's health ministry said that while the numbers show the outbreak is spreading rapidly, it also reflects more active surveillance. "Community members are reporting suspected cases, and response teams are investigating them," it said on X. The number of cases in what could become history's worst Ebola outbreak is believed to be higher because the outbreak was confirmed on May 15, weeks after it is suspected to have begun. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which was not tested for in the early days. The more common Zaire virus, which now has a vaccine, was responsible for most of Congo's past 16 outbreaks of the disease. The outbreak is concentrated in Congo's eastern province of Ituri, which accounts for more than 90% of the cases. Cases have also been recorded in the North Kivu and South Kivu provinces and have spread across the border to Uganda. Congo said the contact tracing coverage rate is 56%, a sharp decrease from last week, as authorities hurry to find people who may have been exposed. There was no immediate explanation for the drop. Congolese health authorities previously said contact tracing has been hampered by community resistance in some areas and by the rapid expansion of the outbreak into new health zones, increasing the workload for surveillance teams. Nearly a million people have been displaced by years of conflict in Ituri, according to the U.N. humanitarian office, making contact tracing difficult as people flee