Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Dec. 6 reported a large spike in Ebola cases in the city of Butembo, a regional trading hub with a population of more than 1 million people, reports The Hill.
Here are three things to know:
1. Congo's health ministry confirmed 25 Ebola cases in the city, up from 11 cases just two weeks prior.
2. Local Butembo residents are hesitant to acknowledge the outbreak's presence, Congo's Health Minister Oly Ilunga Kalenga, MD, PhD, said during a Dec. 6 news conference, according to The Hill. Health workers have faced violence when trying to treat patients or vaccinate known Ebola contacts, and several health centers in the city were also destroyed, Dr. Kalenga said.
3. As of Dec. 8, the World Health Organization reported 494 confirmed and suspected Ebola cases in the Congo, including 283 deaths.
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