Bunia: The outbreak of the Bundibugyo species of Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is expanding, with efforts ongoing to accelerate testing and identify effective treatment options, the UN World Health Organisation (WHO) reported on Tuesday. The outbreak's 'true scale has not yet been fully established,' said Dr. Anne Ancia, WHO's representative to the DRC, highlighting the challenges faced in controlling the spread of the disease. According to Emirates News Agency, Dr. Ancia, speaking from Bunia, the capital of Ituri province at the heart of the outbreak, informed reporters in Geneva that as of 4 July, the DRC government has recorded 1,561 confirmed cases, including 506 deaths and 254 recoveries. Moreover, more than 10,000 contacts are currently being monitored to prevent further transmission. In support of the government's response, WHO is enhancing its understanding of the infection's history in order to trace and isolate contact cases effectively, Dr. Ancia stated. Encouraging developments include an increase in testing capacity, thanks to the establishment of 10 decentralised laboratories in the affected provinces. Daily testing capacity has risen from 30 tests in Kinshasa to over 2,000, with the latest lab opening in Bunia. A clinical trial commenced on 2 July to evaluate two promising therapies: a monoclonal antibody, MBP134, and the antiviral remdesivir. These drugs will be administered alone or in combination to assess their potential to improve survival rates among people infected with the Bundibugyo virus. More than 1,200 treatment doses are available, and additional therapies may be incorporated as new evidence emerges. The outbreak was declared on 15 May and is occurring in regions marked by active conflict, displacement, and overstretched health services.