Five Ebola survivors discharged as DRCongo’s case count breaks 6,000

Five people who recovered from Ebola were discharged from treatment in Béni in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo on Sunday.

The survivors, who included a healthcare worker, had been hospitalized at the Doctors Without Borders Ebola treatment center and at the Ebola treatment center at Béni Hospital.

As they received a certificate confirming they had been cured, the survivors expressed their thanks to the medical teams that had cared for them, and urged their compatriots to seek treatment if ill.

Health workers and officials leading the Ebola response celebrated the five's discharge, with the head of the response coalition saying it was a "momentous day" and a "source of pride" for his team.

But the number of Ebola cases continues to rise, and the survivors' discharge came as authorities announced that the outbreak in the African nation had surpassed 6,000 cases.

They also said that the outbreak — the fastest-growing in DRC history — had claimed 2,911 deaths.

More than 1,360 people have recovered from the virus, in what authorities called an “encouraging” development.

The outbreak in eastern Congo is spreading under extremely difficult conditions, fueled by insecurity, displacement, a health workers’ strike and intense population movements.

The situation is particularly concerning at displacement sites, where residents already live in extremely precarious conditions.

The World Health Organization has said the out-of-control outbreak is on track to surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak, the deadliest on record.

That one killed more than 11,000 people, primarily in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Although the current outbreak was declared in mid-May, officials believe it had been spreading since February.

It has spread from three health zones to nearly 60, with most cases and deaths occurring outside the network of monitored contacts and within communities.