DR Congo records 8,300 confirmed Ebola cases, over 4,000 deaths

The death toll from the ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has surpassed 4,000, the latest figures released Friday by Congolese health authorities showed.

A total of 4,018 deaths were reported, among 8,300 confirmed cases across seven provinces, according to the latest update from the Ministry of Health. That puts the overall case fatality rate at 48.4 percent, while 2,162 patients have recovered.

The Ebola outbreak has eased in some areas, with no new cases reported in more health zones for weeks, health authorities said on the same day.

Despite signs of localized improvement, international medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres warned Thursday that the actual toll was likely higher than officially reported due to gaps in disease surveillance and case detection.

The Ebola outbreak declared in May has become the largest and deadliest ever recorded in the DRC and the second-largest Ebola outbreak worldwide, after the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa.

DR Congo records 8,300 confirmed Ebola cases, over 4,000 deaths

The United States and Australian diplomatic missions in Brazil suspended in-person operations or temporarily closed on Friday, citing security concerns, two days before Brazil's presidential election.

According to an official notice, U.S. diplomatic facilities across Brazil -- including the embassy in Brasilia and consulates in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Porto Alegre and Recife -- have suspended in-person consular services until further notice.

The embassy and consulates have also stopped processing and issuing visas. Local military police deployed additional forces around the U.S. Embassy in Brasilia and cordoned off areas surrounding the consulate in Sao Paulo.

The Australian Embassy in Brasilia announced its closure on Friday, citing safety considerations. It advised Australian citizens to avoid visiting U.S. diplomatic facilities and nearby areas in Brazil.

Brazil is scheduled to hold the first round of its general and presidential elections on Sunday.

U.S., Australian diplomatic missions in Brazil suspend services over security concerns