WHO sees encouraging signs in Congo Ebola fight but warns of surging cases

The World Health Organization says there are encouraging signs in the fight against Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but warns the outbreak continues to spread and cases are rising sharply in parts of the east.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said transmission was declining in the hardest-hit areas of Ituri province, while South Kivu has reported no new cases since May.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General: "We're now starting to see encouraging signs that we're gaining ground. In the most affected parts of Ituri Province, transmission is going down. South Kivu has reported no new cases since May. More than 1700 people have recovered. And after four months, the epidemic has been contained mostly in the northeastern DRC."

But WHO says the situation remains fragile, with more than 7,200 cases and over 3,500 deaths reported across seven provinces.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO Director for Epidemic and Pandemic Management: "We can be cautiously optimistic about what is happening, but I think we need to be realistic about the road that's ahead of us... there are a couple of provinces where we're seeing increases in cases in North Kivu, where we've seen a doubling of cases."

WHO says continued surveillance, contact tracing and rapid response will be crucial to containing the outbreak.