The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 710, including 149 deaths, the country’s health ministry said on Saturday, while dismissing social media rumours that a nationwide lockdown had been imposed in response to the outbreak.

The case fatality rate stood at 21.0 per cent, according to figures released by the ministry. A total of 324 patients were in isolation or hospitalised, while 35 people had recovered.

The ministry said the government, together with provincial authorities, response partners and local communities, was continuing public health interventions aimed at breaking chains of transmission and protecting the population.

Response teams on the ground are carrying out epidemiological surveillance, patient care, contact tracing, targeted vaccination, risk communication and community engagement.

The ministry said no lockdown had been ordered in the affected areas and no such measure was under consideration, urging the public not to spread unverified information and to rely on official channels for updates.

In a disease outbreak update published Saturday, the World Health Organization said the outbreak in the DRC continued to evolve rapidly, with rising case numbers and geographic spread.

The reported case fatality rate was likely an underestimation, as many deaths that occurred before the outbreak was declared remain under investigation, the WHO added.

• A Tell Media / Xinhua report