The United Nations warned on Monday of the spread of Ebola in camps for displaced people in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, indicating that overcrowding there was fueling the risk of transmission.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that confirmed cases of Ebola had been reported in at least 16 camps for displaced people across Ituri, the northeastern province at the heart of the outbreak.

"These sites host more than 270,000 displaced people, with overcrowding and limited access to basic services increasing the risk of disease transmission," OCHA said in a statement.

The UN and its partners have set up handwashing stations and are conducting awareness campaigns in communities on Ebola prevention measures, Ocha said.

Cases of Ebola, which is transmitted through close contact and infected bodily fluids, have so far been detected in five provinces of the DRC, as well as in neighbouring Uganda.

There are 2,344 confirmed cases of the disease in the DRC, including 930 deaths, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Some 466 patients have recovered in the country, while 192 cases are considered suspected.

The outbreak is now the third largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. The 17th Ebola epidemic in the DRC was declared on May 15, following several deaths in Ituri, a mineral-rich province plagued by armed groups.

"Needs continue to outstrip available resources," OCHA warned. The agency called for increased international support to sustain the Ebola response and provide vital aid to displaced communities "already facing years of conflict, displacement, and deteriorating living conditions."

There is no approved vaccine or treatment for the rare Bundibugyo form of the Ebola virus, which is responsible for the current epidemic.