The International Rescue Committee (IRC) has warned that the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has worsened, with transmission of the disease accelerating in already affected areas, as well as an increased risk of cross-border spread into South Sudan.

At the time of reporting, there have been 1,926 confirmed cases and 702 deaths according to the Ministry of Health in the DRC.

There are five provinces that are affected in the DRC, including Tshopo province, where the town of Kisangani is located, more than 500km west of the current epicentre of the outbreak, Bunia.

The DRC Ministry of Heath has added 10 provinces that are at risk, including Kinsasha.

Bob Kitchen, Vice President of Emergencies at the International Rescue Committee said that the risk to South Sudan was ‘particularly alarming’ because if Ebola were to cross the border, ‘it could silently spread before being detected, making the response far more complex, putting countless lives at risk.’

‘Weak surveillance systems, limited health infrastructure, ongoing conflict, and sparse humanitarian presence could delay detection and response,’ he said.

The prevalence of the virus in Kisangani, which sits on the Congo river, a significant transport corridor between eastern DRC and Kinshasa, raises the risk of a wider geographic spread.