Authorities say confirmed cases of the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo have reached 1,003, including 254 deaths. A total of 100 people have recovered in the outbreak concentrated in the Ituri province since it was declared on May 15, Congo's Ministry of Health said late Sunday. The Ebola outbreak caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no vaccines or treatment, has been the worst ever after just a month. Officials admit there could be far more cases they still don't know about and that the peak of the outbreak is still ahead.

Whenever Ebola comes, some of those stricken choose the road to the nearest hospital. Others take the path to the shrine of a traditional healer who can prescribe herbs or offer prayers. With often devastating consequences, too many choose to go to sacred places when they feel the hemorrhagic fever possessing them is perhaps a spiritual event. This is the case now in Congo, which is suffering its seventeenth outbreak of Ebola in a remote eastern region. Five decades after the Ebola virus was first identified in the rich ecosystem known as the Congo Basin, the disease's symptoms retain the capacity to mystify the afflicted while turning religious leaders into first responders in a deadly emergency.

Congolese authorities report a large daily increase in Ebola cases as the virus without a approved medicine or vaccine spreads rapidly. On Sunday, the Ministry of Health confirmed 72 new cases, bringing the total to 782, with 181 confirmed deaths. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, is spreading in Congo's remote eastern province of Ituri. The World Health Organization is intensifying testing and contact tracing. Africa's top health body is deploying technical expertise to accelerate the response. Nearly a million people have been displaced by years of conflict in the region, complicating efforts to contain the outbreak.

In Congo, the battle against the rare Bundibugyo type of Ebola has been complicated by skepticism, attacks on health workers and misinformation. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported at least 63 deaths from 397 confirmed cases as of Friday. Many locals dismissed the outbreak as a conspiracy. In response, journalist Vérité Johnson launched a radio program in Bunia to combat rumors and educate residents. The World Health Organization and Africa CDC have launched a $518 million response plan. Resistance to health protocols is common in Congo, fueled by mistrust and misinformation, complicating efforts to contain the virus.

The World Health Organization chief says Congo's Ebola outbreak had a head start but that testing is improving, even as violence plagues the region. Since mid-May, 344 cases and 60 deaths have been confirmed in three eastern provinces. The number of suspected cases has dropped significantly. Uganda has 15 confirmed cases, including one death. The outbreak involves a rare Ebola type with no approved medicine or vaccine. Limited testing and access issues make assessing the outbreak's extent difficult. WHO's Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that only 45% of contacts have been traced, with insecurity and displacement complicating efforts. Health workers face challenges, including attacks and skepticism about Ebola's existence.

The head of the World Health Organization has arrived in Congo's capital, Kinshasa, to support efforts against an Ebola outbreak. Medical personnel are struggling with equipment shortages, distrustful populations and armed groups. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized community collaboration. The outbreak of a rare type of Ebola is spreading faster than the response, with 906 suspected cases and 223 deaths. Aid from the EU and the U.S. is arriving. Health workers face challenges due to local burial rites and regional conflicts. The WHO is discouraging travel bans, but the U.S. has imposed a 21-day ban on noncitizens who have visited Congo and two neighboring countries.