The Ebola disease outbreak in North Kivu province, Democratic Republic of Congo, has intensified dramatically since early September, with the province now accounting for nearly 40 per cent of all newly confirmed cases nationwide, up from 24 per cent at the end of August. New hotspots are emerging every week, and treatment capacities remain largely insufficient and inadequate, placing patients and communities at greater risk. Stéphanie Hoffmann, coordinator of the Médecins Sans Frontières Ebola treatment centre in Butembo, compared the situation to fighting a megafire, noting that multiple outbreaks are developing simultaneously in different locations. While Butembo has reported a slight decline in confirmed cases in recent days, neighboring Beni has seen infections rise.
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