The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has reported Ebola cases in five of the 26 provincial-level regions across the country, with the nationwide tally rising to 1,873 confirmed cases, including 672 deaths, according to a report released Sunday by the country's health authorities.
The report, covering data through Friday, listed Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo as the affected provinces. Haut-Uele and Tshopo were included in the national situation report for the first time. Investigations indicate that the cases detected in the two provinces were epidemiologically linked to the outbreak epicenter in Ituri province through contacts and population movements.
The report said 763 patients were in isolation or receiving hospital treatment, while the overall bed occupancy rate at treatment facilities stood at 95.1 percent. A total of 306 people have recovered, while 299 suspected cases, including 91 deaths, have been recorded.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo ebolavirus, was declared on May 15.
DR Congo reports Ebola cases in 5 provinces, caseload nears 1,900
U.S. forces on Sunday launched a new round of strikes against Iran, the U.S. Central Command said.
"At 5 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command forces began launching more strikes against Iran to continue degrading their ability to attack civilian mariners and commercial ships freely transiting the Strait of Hormuz," the command said in a post on social media platform X.
According to U.S. Central Command Spokesman Tim Hawkins, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) fired at commercial ships crossing the Strait of Hormuz, adding that U.S. aircraft have successfully shot down an Iranian cruise missile and an attack drone. Iran has not responded to the matter.
Multiple explosions were heard from Sunday evening to early Monday in the port cities of Sirik, Bandar Abbas and Jask, all in southern Iran's Hormozgan Province, Iranian media outlets reported.
The explosion sounds came from east of Bandar Abbas and Mesen village south of Qeshm Island. Qeshm Governor Hossein Amir-Teymouri said that 10 to 11 "enemy" projectiles had hit the island, with only military targets being struck.
Media reports said the strikes resulted in one person killed and two others wounded.
The IRGC said it targeted U.S. bases in Jordan, Qatar and Oman on Sunday in retaliation for U.S. attacks against southern Iranian provinces earlier in the day.
The targets included the Prince Hassan Air Base in Jordan, the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a Patriot air defense system in Kuwait, and the U.S. Army's communications system and a radar site in Bahrain.
The trading of the new round of attacks between the U.S. and Iran came amid the recent escalation of tensions over navigation in the Strait of Hormuz despite a memorandum of understanding signed by the two countries in mid-June.
U.S. Central Command forces launch new round of strikes against Iran
