Ebola: Over 2,000 dead in DR Congo as virus gathers pace
Authorities in the DRC say the Ebola virus is killing faster than any outbreak on record. Scientists say it began sooner than thought, may have been transmitted from animals to humans and is gaining momentum.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is grappling with an outbreak of a particularly virulent strain of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, which has claimed over 2,000 lives since its first confirmed case. A total of more than 4,380 infections have been recorded, making it the 17th outbreak in the country. The current outbreak, declared on May 15, is spreading rapidly, with a case fatality rate of 45.9% - higher than the 2014-2016 West African outbreak's 39.6%.
Health authorities face significant challenges due to the volatile security situation, including bad roads, rebel violence, and lack of healthcare worker pay and mass strikes, hindering their ability to control the virus. Despite restrictions on public gatherings and the closure of the airport in Ituri Province, the hotspot of the outbreak, the virus continues to spread.
Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba noted that they have not yet reached the peak and expect to see a decline within three months. Vaccines against some strains of the Ebola virus are available, but none for the rare Bundibugyo strain. WHO has recommended a full-scale human trial of the Ervebo vaccine, though its efficacy against the DRC strain remains unproven.
Researchers are investigating whether the outbreak originated from an animal-to-human transmission event and if the pathogen has mutated.
Written by urgent.news from Deutsche Welle Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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