The Ebola outbreak in DR Congo is outpacing responders

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the second-largest ever recorded, with 4,053 confirmed cases and 1,850 deaths reported so far. According to the Daily Maverick and Jerusalem Post, the outbreak has been described as the fastest-spreading on record, with cases recorded in five provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo.

Researchers believe that infections started circulating months before the outbreak was declared on May 15, with a report in the journal Science suggesting that the outbreak may have started in January or earlier in Ituri. The delayed detection, overwhelmed surveillance, military conflict, and lack of vaccines and treatments have hindered containment efforts, as reported by multiple outlets.

Health workers on the front lines of the outbreak, such as Wiza Bondele, have been working without pay since mid-May, according to the Associated Press. This has raised concerns about the welfare of front-line workers, with some having to walk off the job due to poor working conditions and payment issues. The outbreak continues to spread at an alarming rate, outpacing efforts to track and contain it.

Brief written by urgent.news from NPR Health, France 24, Daily Maverick, Jerusalem Post, Associated Press — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — read the original for the full account.