Ebola Death Toll in Democratic Republic of Congo Climbs to 529

(Bloomberg) -- The death toll from an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 529 as the deadly virus persists with “moderate intensity,” according to the World Health Organization.

In the 21 days through Feb. 19, 79 new cases were reported from 40 areas within 12 zones, the United Nations body said in an emailed statement. While no new cases were reported from the city of Beni, “trends in the case incidence suggest a high risk of further chains of transmission in affected communities” elsewhere in the northeast of the country, it said.

A total of 848 cases of the virus have been reported, of which 258 were children under the age of 18, the WHO said. So far, 257 victims have survived.

The outbreak is the 10th since the since the virus was discovered in Congo in 1976. It’s also the world’s biggest after one in West Africa in 2014-2016.

To contact the reporter on this story: Hilton Shone in Johannesburg at hshone@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Alastair Reed at areed12@bloomberg.net, Ana Monteiro

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