Democratic Republic of Congo said ‌on Friday that 71 new Ebola cases were confirmed in a 24-hour period and ‌warned of rapid community transmission of the deadly disease.The new data, included in a ​daily situation report published by the health ministry, bring the total number of confirmed cases to 452 since the outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola was ​announced on May 15th. There have been 82 confirmed deaths.The cases remain heavily concentrated ⁠in Ituri province in northeast Congo, a remote part of the ‌country ‌with ​poor health infrastructure and widespread insecurity due to fighting by armed groups.The daily total of 71 new cases – ⁠65 in Ituri ​province and six in North Kivu province – ​is one of the biggest during the outbreak, the 17th in ‌Congo’s history.“The number of confirmed cases ​recorded in the two provinces demonstrates rapid and continuous community transmission,” ⁠the situation report said.[ WHO calls for ceasefire and greater cooperation to contain Ebola outbreak in DRCOpens in new window ]Cases have ⁠been confirmed ​in 17 of Ituri’s 36 health zones, as well as in seven health zones in North Kivu and one health zone in South Kivu, the report said. There are also cases in neighbouring Uganda.Earlier on Friday World Health Organisation director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced a $518 million six-month plan to fight Ebola, calling ‌for money and political ⁠commitment to halt the spread of an outbreak that is already the fourth-biggest on record.The strategy aims to help ‌Congo and neighbouring Uganda contain their outbreaks, while assisting other countries to prepare for possible ​cases through measures including enhanced border screening, the ​WHO and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said. (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026