The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has issued a warning as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed the rise of Ebola cases to 1,003 as the country’s deadly outbreak continues.

The ministry of Health of Congo disclosed this Sunday evening, confirming 254 deaths.

According to him, there are 365 patients either hospitalized or in isolation. The official said that contact tracing remained a concern.

According to the Minister of Health, the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed that only 58% of identified contacts have been followed up with, far below the desired 90% to 95% target needed to contain the outbreak.

Meanwhile, UNICEF warned that millions of children and adolescents are at risk from Ebola and the breakdown of essential services in the eastern DRC.

ABC News reports that the project manager for the Ebola emergency for the humanitarian NGO CARE, Bonheur Baeni said that there had been a great amount of misinformation in affected communities that has made it difficult to contain the virus.

“It is in fact among the great challenges, the misinformation that is characterized by rumors, rumors that circulate on social networks, rumors that also circulate mouth-to-mouth, “It really makes the population resistant,” he told ABC News in French.

Baeni said the group is working with the Ministry of Health and other partners to engage with the community and answer questions that people have. They are also working with trusted leaders within the community to help combat the misinformation.

“You see that it creates a climate of trust. It creates a confidence climate because it’s their brother, it’s a member of the community,” Baeni said.

The Ministry of Health wrote on X that “response teams continue active investigations, epidemiological surveillance and prevention actions in affected areas.”

However, health officials added that eight more people have recovered from Ebola, bringing the total number of recoveries to 100.

UNICEF warned on Monday that an estimated 2.95 million children and adolescents aged 18 and under 18’s representing 54% of the population in 31 affected health zones are at risk from Ebola and the breakdown of essential services in the eastern DRC.

Executive director of UNICEF, Catherine Russell said in a statement. “Our teams in Ituri [province] have met children who have lost their mothers, and in some cases both parents, to Ebola. Children are trying to make sense of the threat while surrounded by rumors and online misinformation.”

UNICEF revealed that children and adolescents make up about 15% of confirmed Ebola cases and more than 25% of confirmed deaths in the eastern DRC as of June 19. And children and adolescents with confirmed Ebola are almost twice as likely to die as adults.

UNICEF reported that dozens of children have been orphaned in Ituri province, which is the epicenter of the outbreak. It also said that 135 of those children are receiving support, including psychosocial care.

According to UNICEF, there are at least 20 confirmed cases in neighboring Uganda, in large part linked to cross-border transmission from the DRC, and two deaths. The agency further revealed that children have also been affected in Uganda, with at least one child who was tested positive and 19 children under quarantine monitoring.

“Children are especially vulnerable because they depend on caregivers and cannot distance themselves from a sick parent or sibling in the same way that an adult can. To better protect children, we need sustained access, and the resources needed to reach every affected community.” Russell said. (Nigerian Tribune)