Congo's fast-moving Ebola outbreak becomes country's worst with over 2,300 dead

Congo's Ebola outbreak has claimed over 2,300 lives, making it the deadliest in the country's history, according to government data released overnight. The rapid spread of the disease, which began in a vulnerable region, has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded, with 4,945 cases and 2,325 deaths reported. This marks Congo's 17th and largest Ebola outbreak, surpassing the 2018-2020 outbreak that saw 2,299 deaths out of 3,481 cases.

The current outbreak has seen 101 new cases and 33 deaths in the last 24 hours, with over 1,000 recoveries and 730 ongoing hospitalizations. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the virus could surpass the 2014-16 West African Ebola outbreak, which claimed over 11,000 lives. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus responsible for the outbreak, and efforts to contain the disease face challenges such as unpaid health workers' strikes, rebel threats, and difficult-to-access territories.

The WHO has announced increased response activities and a $30.5 million allocation, as well as the deployment of 20 additional staff to aid the frontlines.