The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surpassed 5,000 confirmed cases, with the death toll reaching 2,378, according to the latest government data.
The outbreak, which was declared on May 15, has now become the largest Ebola epidemic in the DR Congo’s history by number of cases and deaths, surpassing the country’s previous worst outbreak in 2018-2020.
The latest figures show 5,021 confirmed cases across 55 health zones in six provinces, with a case-fatality rate of nearly half - 47.4 per cent.
The outbreak is concentrated in northeastern DR Congo, with Ituri province serving as its epicentre. It has also spread to Bas-Uélé, Haut-Uélé, North Kivu, South Kivu and Tshopo.
Health officials have warned that efforts to contain the outbreak are struggling to keep pace with the spread of the virus.
Weak health infrastructure, community resistance, instability and protests by health workers have complicated efforts to identify cases, trace contacts and provide treatment. The outbreak is also spreading in remote and conflict-affected areas, making access more difficult.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that the outbreak is “far from being under control”, with the virus gaining ground faster than response efforts.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, a relatively rare strain for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. Clinical trials for vaccines and treatments are underway.
The current epidemic is now the second-largest Ebola outbreak recorded globally, behind the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people. WHO has warned that the Cong's outbreak could eventually surpass that toll if transmission is not brought under control.
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