The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has spread to two more provinces, bringing the total number of affected regions to five, according to the country's national health institute. The latest figures show 1,926 confirmed cases and 702 deaths, making it the worst Ebola outbreak in the country's history.

The outbreak, which was first declared on May 15, 2026, has now spread to Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces in the north, in addition to the previously affected Ituri, Nord-Kivu, and Sud-Kivu provinces. The national health institute has classified these areas as epidemic zones.

In response to the outbreak, a clinical trial for Ebola treatments has been launched. The trial, which began on July 2, is testing two treatments: remdesivir, an antiviral, and MBP134, a monoclonal antibody. The trial is being conducted by a consortium including the World Health Organization (WHO), the National Institute of Biomedical Research in DRC, the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, and the University of Oxford.

"The program evaluates two treatments (the remdesivir, an antiviral, and the MBP134, a monoclonal antibody) intended to improve the survival of people affected by the Ebola and Ebola Bundibugyo viruses," said Professor Laurens Liesenborghs of the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp.

Meanwhile, a US citizen who contracted the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola in Congo is being treated in a German hospital. The patient, who was working for a humanitarian organization in Congo, is in stable condition and is being treated in complete isolation.

The outbreak has also been affected by strikes by healthcare workers over unpaid salaries. Dozens of workers at an Ebola treatment center in northeast Congo have gone on strike, demanding payment of their salaries and bonuses.

The UN relief chief has called for a faster global response to the outbreak. "The world must move faster on Ebola response for DR Congo," said the UN relief chief.

The outbreak has also spread to neighboring Uganda, where at least 20 cases and 2 deaths have been reported as of July 7.

Despite the challenges, there are some signs of hope. The clinical trial for Ebola treatments is a positive development, and the rapid start of the trial has been praised by researchers.

"The program has been set up only six weeks after the declaration of the epidemic by the government of the DRC. It's simply fantastic to have been able to start so quickly," said Professor Amanda Rojek of the University of Oxford, the principal investigator of the Partners project.

However, the response to the outbreak is being hampered by political tensions and strikes by healthcare workers. A national strike by doctors began on June 24, and has been reinforced by an operation "Hospitals without doctors" planned from July 7 to 16.

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the worst in the country's history, and the response is being challenged by a range of factors, including the spread of the virus to new provinces, strikes by healthcare workers, and the need for a faster global response. However, the launch of a clinical trial for Ebola treatments offers some hope for the future.

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