France, July 27 -- Medics have recorded more than 3,200 Ebola cases, including over 1,400 deaths, in the Democratic Republic of Congo's 17th outbreak, officials said on Sunday, after infections surged by around 1,000 in just 10 days.

The central African nation is battling its latest Ebola epidemic in the conflict-ridden east, a region scarred by decades of violence.

Cases have now been confirmed across five provinces, official figures showed, after the outbreak passed the 2,000-case mark on 15 July.

Authorities said improved detection and testing had helped identify more infections.

DRC's Ebola outbreak kills more than 1,000, with children hit hardest

The outbreak, declared on 15 May, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola v...