The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to intensify, with confirmed infections rising to 710 and the death toll reaching 149, according to the country's Ministry of Health.

Health authorities said the outbreak, officially declared on 15 May, remains a major public health challenge as cases continue to emerge across affected regions. The ministry reported a case fatality rate of 21 per cent, while cautioning that the true toll could be higher as several suspected Ebola-related deaths remain under investigation.

Of the confirmed cases, 324 patients are currently in isolation or receiving treatment, while 35 people have recovered from the disease.

As concerns grow over the outbreak's trajectory, the DRC government moved to dispel rumours circulating on social media that a nationwide lockdown had been imposed. The Health Ministry categorically denied the claims, stating that no lockdown measures were in force or under consideration and urging citizens to rely on official sources for information.

Authorities said response efforts remain in full swing, with health workers conducting epidemiological surveillance, contact tracing, patient care, targeted vaccination campaigns, risk communication and community outreach to contain the virus and prevent further transmission.

The World Health Organisation (WHO), in its latest outbreak update, warned that the situation remains highly dynamic, with infections spreading to new areas and case numbers continuing to rise.

The WHO also noted that the reported fatality rate is likely an underestimate, as several deaths that occurred before the outbreak was officially declared have yet to be fully assessed.

Complicating containment efforts are a series of operational challenges. Health officials have cited resistance to post-mortem testing in some communities, limited capacity at Ebola treatment centres, shortages of infection-control supplies in North Kivu, weak disease-alert reporting systems and a funding shortfall estimated at $21.5 million.

The humanitarian situation has added another layer of complexity. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), two Ebola-related deaths have already been reported in a camp for internally displaced persons in Ituri province, raising fears of further spread among vulnerable populations.

The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment. Researchers are currently evaluating potential vaccine candidates and therapies, but none are yet widely available.

The outbreak is unfolding against a backdrop of armed conflict, population displacement and extensive cross-border movement, factors that health experts warn could accelerate transmission and hamper containment efforts.

The DRC has experienced multiple Ebola outbreaks since the virus was first identified in the country in 1976. This latest outbreak marks the nation's 17th encounter with the deadly disease and comes as neighbouring Uganda is also battling Ebola infections linked to the same virus species.

With health authorities racing to break transmission chains and international agencies warning of mounting challenges, the coming weeks are expected to be critical in determining whether the outbreak can be brought under control.

With IANS inputs

The Congress on Sunday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio claimed that India had committed to purchasing USD 500 billion worth of American goods over the next five years, asking why major developments relating to India’s foreign policy and trade commitments were increasingly being announced from Washington rather than New Delhi.

Congress Rajya Sabha MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh alleged that the “compromised Prime Minister” was “going the extra mile to appease and please his good friend” and questioned why the Modi government had not withdrawn what he described as an “anti-people” and “dangerous” India-US trade agreement.

In a series of questions directed at the prime minister, Ramesh also asked why the government had allegedly agreed to record imports from the US when Modi himself had urged Indians to cut fuel consumption and overseas travel to conserve foreign exchange.

He further questioned whether a sharp rise in imports from the US could worsen pressure on the rupee, which he noted had depreciated by 12 per cent against the dollar over the past year.

“At 5:37 PM IST on May 10, 2025, it was US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who first announced the ceasefire that brought Operation Sindoor to an unexpected halt,” Ramesh said in a post on X, referring to earlier criticism by the Congress over foreign policy communication.

He also claimed that Rubio had been the first to announce the Venezuelan president’s proposed visit to India earlier this month, before either New Delhi or Caracas had officially confirmed it.

“Today, Mr Rubio has once again shocked the country” by claiming that the Modi government had committed to purchasing USD 500 billion in US goods over the next five years, focused on energy, technology and agriculture, Ramesh said.

Noting that India’s current annual imports from the US stood at USD 52.9 billion in FY26, Ramesh argued that Rubio’s statement implied India would have to substantially increase yearly imports from America.

The Congress leader said the logic underpinning the India-US trade agreement had weakened after what he described as a US Supreme Court ruling striking down the Trump tariffs that formed the backdrop to such arrangements.

“Why has the Modi Government not had the courage to renounce this anti-people, dangerous trade deal like Malaysia and other countries have?” he asked.

Ramesh also sought to link the reported import commitment to recent developments involving industrialist Gautam Adani, pointing to the Trump administration’s reported move last week to drop criminal fraud charges linked to a solar energy case. “Is Mr Modi’s capitulation to the US on imports linked to the relief provided to the Modani empire by Mr Trump?” he asked.

Questioning the government’s communication strategy, Ramesh said key announcements — from the Operation Sindoor ceasefire and the reported halting of Russian oil and gas imports to trade negotiations and diplomatic visits — appeared to be reaching the public first through Washington.

“Why is all the communication on Indian foreign policy now coming first from Washington DC instead of New Delhi?” he asked.

The Congress leader also targeted PM Modi and external affairs minister S. Jaishankar, asking why they had “renounced their responsibility” to explain the foreign policy of “our sovereign state” to the country and the world.

Ramesh’s remarks came hours after Rubio said in a post on X that India had committed to purchasing USD 500 billion in US goods over five years.

“Huge thanks to @USAmbIndia Sergio Gor and our American diplomats for their efforts. Because of their great work, India has committed to purchasing USD 500 billion in U.S. goods over the next five years, focusing on energy, technology, and agriculture,” Rubio wrote.

PM Modi on Saturday said India and the US would continue to work closely for the global good. Rubio, who met Modi shortly after arriving in New Delhi, invited the prime minister on behalf of President Donald Trump to visit the White House in the “near future”, describing India as the “cornerstone” of Washington’s Indo-Pacific strategy.

On Sunday, Rubio also held talks with Jaishankar and said India-US relations continued to retain momentum.

With PTI inputs