Ebola cases in DR Congo rise to 933, with 245 deaths

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen to 933, including 245 deaths, according to the country's health authorities.

Speaking at a press conference in Ituri Province, where the first cases in the current outbreak were reported, Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said that 80 patients had recovered and been discharged from Ebola treatment centres.

The news comes after Africa's largest health agency stressed that African officials must increase funding to respond to the Ebola virus and develop vaccines against the outbreak in Congo and Uganda, warning that the continent cannot continue to rely on foreign partners to meet its health needs.

The Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Jean Kassia, stated that the current Ebola outbreak, the worst ever at this stage, is yet another reminder for Africa to invest more in its health sector to reduce its dependence on foreign partners.