The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 2,325, making it the deadliest Ebola epidemic in the country's history, according to the National Institute of Public Health.

Health authorities said 101 new infections were confirmed over the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to 4,945.

The latest figures surpass the fatalities recorded during the 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, previously the country's deadliest epidemic.

The United Nations warned on Friday that the outbreak is claiming approximately one life every 30 minutes, describing it as the fastest-spreading Ebola epidemic ever recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The virus has spread to six of the country's 26 provinces, with more than 3,400 confirmed cases reported in Ituri province in the northeast, where the outbreak was first detected.

Health officials said the outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

Authorities in neighboring Uganda have also confirmed at least 20 Ebola cases in the capital, Kampala, raising concerns about cross-border transmission.

The World Health Organization declared the Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern in May, prompting an international response aimed at containing the spread of the virus and strengthening surveillance across the region.

Health agencies continue to emphasize early detection, isolation of patients, contact tracing and community awareness as key measures to limit further transmission.(ILKHA)