Ebola outbreak rebounds in DR Congo as cross-border spread heightens concerns

Ebola infections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have rebounded after a brief decline, while the virus's spread to other African countries is complicating efforts to contain an outbreak that has already claimed more than 4,600 lives, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned in its latest situation report Wednesday.

"The most recent seven-day moving average indicates a modest upward trend, suggesting renewed intensification of transmission," the WHO Regional Office for Africa said in the report, highlighting the outbreak's "widening international dimension and the growing complexity."

The DRC recorded 1,466 confirmed cases between Sept. 29 and Oct. 19, up 10.4 percent from the preceding 21-day period, while confirmed deaths rose 7.5 percent to 692, according to the report.

As of Oct. 19, the DRC had recorded 9,637 confirmed cases and 4,646 deaths across eight of its 26 provinces.