More people have died of suspected Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the number of cases will rise further, according to AOL.com. The 51 confirmed cases are concentrated in eastern Ituri province and North Kivu province; Two confirmed cases have also been reported in Uganda’s capital, Kampala — both individuals had traveled from the DRC, and one has died.

Healthcare System Overwhelmed

Local health workers report that some facilities are being overwhelmed despite the arrival of personal protective equipment. “We are full of suspect cases. We don’t have any space. ” one health facility told Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) emergency programme manager Trish Newport, according to AFP, as “This gives you a vision of how crazy it is right now,” she added.

WHO officials are investigating how long the virus has been spreading in the region, but their immediate priority is to curb transmission — the first known case was a nurse who developed symptoms and died on April 24 in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province. The nurse’s body was repatriated to Mongwalu, one of two gold-mining towns where the majority of cases have been reported.

U.S. Doctor Arrives in Germany for Treatment

Dr. Peter Stafford, a U.S. doctor infected with Ebola, has arrived in Berlin and is receiving treatment at Charite University Hospital. According to ABC News, he tested positive after caring for patients in Bunia before an outbreak was officially identified. His colleague, Matt Allison of the Christian missionary group Serge, said Stafford has been receiving monoclonal antibodies and appears to be improving.

Allison noted that when Stafford first arrived in Germany, he was very weak and discouraged. “He was talking about just being almost unable to think,” Allison said. He added that Stafford is now eating and texting his colleagues, which is a positive sign given that nausea and gastrointestinal issues are common symptoms of Ebola.

Stafford, a 39-year-old board-certified general surgeon with a specialization in burn care, was working in the DRC alongside his wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, 38, and Dr. Peter LaRochelle, 46, another missionary doctor. Both his wife and LaRochelle were potentially exposed to the virus. Stafford’s family will join him in Germany, while LaRochelle is traveling to Prague.

International Response and Public Awareness

The WHO chief highlighted the scale of the epidemic in the DRC, noting that healthcare workers have already died from the virus, which is a major concern. Araali Bagamba, a lecturer in Bunia, told the BBC that people are becoming more cautious. “For the last three days I haven’t shaken anyone’s hand and I observe that within the general population,” she said. “It’s our habit to shake hands all the time… [but] the habit has changed.

Ebola is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids and through broken skin, causing severe bleeding and organ failure. The complex and coordinated efforts of multiple government agencies and international health authorities have ensured that Dr. Peter Stafford was safely transported and that those involved in his transfer are protected, according to a statement from the Serge organization.