DRC Ebola outbreak 'growing exponentially,' UN says

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is escalating rapidly and poses a significant threat to neighboring countries, according to the United Nations' senior Ebola coordinator. This outbreak is the deadliest in DRC's history, with over 2,500 deaths and more than 5,000 infections. The epidemic's spread is extensive, covering an area larger than France, and is expanding three times faster than the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which resulted in approximately 11,000 deaths.

The Ebola virus causing this outbreak, the Bundibugyo virus, has no approved vaccine or treatment. The first cases were detected in northeastern Ituri province, an area with poor health infrastructure and armed groups' presence. The virus has since spread to five other provinces and neighboring Uganda. Congolese authorities declared the outbreak on May 15, though experts believe the virus may have been circulating beforehand.

Ebola is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids and can lead to fever, fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and in some cases, internal or external bleeding. The World Health Organization has pledged to release 70,000 doses of Merck's Ervebo Ebola vaccine to the DRC. This vaccine, primarily approved for the Zaire strain, may also offer some protection against the Bundibugyo strain due to early data from animal trials.

Additionally, 50,000 doses will be allocated for frontline and health workers, with 20,000 for a Phase 3 clinical trial to assess the vaccine's effectiveness against the Bundibugyo virus.