NAIROBI, October 8. /TASS/. The spread of the Ebola virus in the North Kivu Province in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spiraled out of control, Africanews reported, citing the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) international non-governmental organization.

According to the news outlet, North Kivu accounts for nearly 40% of the country's new confirmed Ebola cases. Stephanie Hoffmann, coordinator of the Ebola treatment center in Butembo, said most new cases are not linked to previously identified chains of transmission. "Seventy-five percent of all deaths stemming from Ebola are community deaths, meaning people that are never seen in treatment centers or transit centers," she noted.

According to Hoffmann, an additional problem is residents’ reluctance to acknowledge possible infection and seek medical care due to fear of Ebola and specialized treatment centers. As a result, many patients remain at home, where they are cared for by relatives, increasing the risk of further transmission.

Initially, the outbreak was concentrated in the area around the city of Butembo, but cases have now been reported in all neighboring health districts. The organization warns of new outbreaks emerging every week and a lack of capacity to treat patients.

The current Ebola outbreak began in the Ituri Province and spread for several months before being officially identified in May. It is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus and, according to Africanews, has already become the deadliest outbreak in the history of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the latest reports, there have been more than 8,600 cases, with over 4,100 deaths.