Ebola tops 11,000 cases in Congo's deadliest outbreak

The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has surpassed 11,000 cases, according to government data. Adom Online reported on Tuesday that confirmed infections have reached 11,042, resulting in 5,387 deaths. The outbreak was declared in mid-May and is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of the Ebola virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.

The current situation is the second-largest and deadliest outbreak on record, trailing only the 2014-2016 West African outbreak. Adom Online noted that the disease has been reported in East, Central, and West Africa, marking its widest geographic spread on the continent to date. Eight of the country's 26 provinces have been affected, and many deaths have occurred outside of treatment centers.

The Hindu - Sci-Tech and The Hindu Health reported that Congolese authorities have struggled to contain the virus due to a health system crisis and ongoing conflicts. Adom Online added that delayed detection and strained health services have contributed to a more rapid spread than seen in previous outbreaks.

Brief written by urgent.news from NPR Health, NPR, The Hindu - Sci-Tech, The Hindu Health, Adom Online — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.