Ebola in Congo surpasses 4,000 cases
The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed 1,850 lives, and experts warn that the virus is spreading rapidly and the actual number of infected is likely much higher.
The outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed 1,850 lives, and experts warn that the virus is spreading rapidly and the actual number of infected is likely much higher.
The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surpassed 4,000, the country's National Institute for Public Health announced on Thursday. According to the latest report, the total number of infected has reached 4,053, with 1,850 deaths. The outbreak, already the second largest in the world by number of cases, is being described as the fastest-spreading Ebola epidemic on record.
Although the outbreak was officially declared on May 15, researchers believe the virus began spreading much earlier. A report published last month in the scientific journal Science suggests that the epidemic in Congo began as early as January, possibly even earlier, in Ituri province. Scientists have identified more than 500 suspected cases between mid-January and mid-May.
Late detection of the disease, an overburdened epidemiological surveillance system, armed conflicts, and a lack of vaccines and effective treatments for the virus strain causing the outbreak have allowed the disease to outpace containment efforts this time. Cases have been confirmed in five provinces: Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele, and Tshopo.
Africa's health agency announced on Thursday that it would introduce a vaccine against a previous Ebola strain in an attempt to curb the latest outbreak. Nearly three months into the epidemic, global health officials warn that the virus is spreading faster than the response, with the number of new cases doubling in some hotspots. An additional problem is the strike by some frontline health workers, who claim they have not been paid for months, reports France 24 journalist Simon Moritz.
So far, only the West African Ebola outbreak from 2014 to 2016 has been larger than the current one. That outbreak saw more than 28,000 cases in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. With over 4,000 confirmed cases, the current outbreak in the DRC firmly holds second place among the largest outbreaks of this deadly disease in history.
