GENEVA, August 4. /TASS/. Ebola-related deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have exceeded 1,600, World Health Organization (WHO) Spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic said.

"The outbreak is unfortunately still expanding beyond the capacity of the response," he told a briefing in Geneva.

As of August 1, a total of 3,748 cases were confirmed, including 1,657 deaths, Jasarevic specified.

"We need more support, both in terms of funding and other resources, to scale up all aspects of the response," he said, adding that additional resources were needed to expand treatment capacity, field investigation teams, safe burial teams and community outreach efforts.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak began in the country’s east on May 15. On August 1, the WHO described it as "the largest Ebola outbreak ever reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo."