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Ebola Outbreak Spreads Across Eastern Congo as Contact Tracing Lags

The Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo is expanding rapidly across the conflict-affected east, with health authorities struggling to contain spread and assess the outbreak's true dimensions. The affected area has grown to 22 health zones spanning three eastern provinces, up from 13 zones just days prior, according to government figures. Health officials face significant challenges in tracking exposed contacts and managing case classifications. Testing backlogs and the reclassification of hundreds of suspected cases have complicated efforts to distinguish between genuine new infections and improved case detection through enhanced surveillance measures.