Ebola: WHO expresses hope as cases surpass 10,000, deaths near 5,000 in DRC

Africa's latest Ebola outbreak has surpassed 10,000 confirmed cases, with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) accounting for the majority. This is the country's deadliest outbreak in history, with 10,060 people infected and 4,887 fatalities since May. Cases have also been detected in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda. The World Health Organization warns that Africa faces a complex task to contain the outbreak, which spans across the continent's east, west, and center.

While 2,684 have recovered in the DRC, the fatality rate appears to be close to 50%, according to the Congolese National Institute of Public Health. The lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo species of Ebola is a significant challenge. The outbreak began in Ituri province, spreading across northern and eastern parts of the country, plagued by violence and low trust in the distant state.

Uganda and Kenya, previously unaffected, have reported two deaths each, with most infected individuals having recently traveled from the DRC. Nigeria has one confirmed case, a Swiss woman who contracted the virus after returning from Uganda, and 52 of her contacts are being traced. Experts are concerned about potential spread from the Swiss couple's return to Nigeria.

Since its emergence half a century ago, Ebola has killed over 15,000 people across Africa. Testing of the Ervebo vaccine, effective against the Zaire strain, is underway to determine its potential protection against the Bundibugyo variant.