Ebola cases in Congo surpass 8,000 as deaths near 4,000, WHO says

The high mortality rate "highlights the severity of the disease and the persistent challenges in timely case detection and access to early and adequate care," the World Health Organization (WHO) wrote in its latest situation report.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, said on Monday that the outbreak has begun to have widespread consequences in the hardest-hit communities, as resources are being reallocated to the Ebola response.

"The indirect effects of the outbreak are due both to reduced access to healthcare - as a result of strain on staff and operations - and to reduced demand, as fear of infection and isolation deter people from seeking care," OCHA writes.