The World Health Organization on Thursday escalated its emergency classification of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing confirmed cases exceeding 100 and continued spread across health zones in Kasai province. The declaration expanded the agency's regional coordination powers.

First confirmed in late August, the outbreak has been described as the fastest-spreading Ebola event documented in the country. WHO's Regional Office for Africa, based in Brazzaville, deployed vaccination teams to begin ring vaccination campaigns using the Ervebo vaccine around confirmed cases and their contacts.

The United Kingdom confirmed this week it would nearly triple its funding to contain the outbreak, joining contributions from Gulf donors and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The additional funding will support surveillance, treatment centres and community engagement, according to the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the elevated response reflected concern about transmission in densely populated areas and the risk of cross-border spread into neighbouring provinces. The agency deployed additional epidemiologists and laboratory capacity to Kananga, the provincial capital.

"The next few weeks are decisive," Tedros said in a statement issued from Geneva. "With vaccines, treatments and rapid response teams already in place, this outbreak can be brought under control, but only if funding and access are sustained."