Congo says number of confirmed Ebola cases rises to 896

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has increased to 896, including 232 deaths, government data showed late on Thursday.

The number represented the total number of confirmed cases as of Wednesday, according to a situation report that documented 21 new cases and six new deaths in the previous 24 hours.

Health officials said in the report that there has been a week-on-week increase in confirmed cases, indicating continued community transmission.

They warned the outbreak could spread rapidly to new areas if public health measures are not implemented promptly.