The epidemic has recorded more than 10,300 confirmed cases and carries a case fatality rate of 48.6 percent. Response teams operating in the north-eastern province of Ituri have encountered direct assaults, including the burning of an ambulance and the separate killings of a nurse and a politician. Beyond national borders, infections have been confirmed in Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria, with one patient transported to Switzerland for treatment. Despite the regional transmission, European health authorities have deemed the infection risk to Europe to be very low.
Key points
Severe conflict and community mistrust in the north-eastern provinces continue to endange…: Severe conflict and community mistrust in the north-eastern provinces continue to endanger health workers and critically obstruct containment efforts.
Regional transmission has prompted neighboring Uganda to maintain cross-border travel res…: Regional transmission has prompted neighboring Uganda to maintain cross-border travel restrictions despite recording no new cases since August.
Ongoing clinical trials and testing remain vital because medical teams are operating with…: Ongoing clinical trials and testing remain vital because medical teams are operating without an approved therapeutic treatment or vaccine.
Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1
- Published
More than 5,000 people have died from an ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, government data shows.
Eight of 26 provinces are now affected, with more than 10,300 confirmed cases.
The outbreak, which started in May, became the country's deadliest in its history in August, public health officials said. The current case fatality rate is 48.6%.
In its latest update, the health ministry said the epicentre of the epidemic remains in the Ituri province, in the north-east of the country, which is a conflict zone, making it harder to contain the virus.
Cases have also been confirmed in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda.
This marks the 17th outbreak in DR Congo's history, according to the United Nations, and the second largest in history.
The World Health Organization (WHO) office in Africa said a "continued scale-up of key control measures, greater access to affected areas, and community outreach" is needed to end the outbreak.
Testing and treatment is under way, along with clinical trials of vaccines, it added.
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Health authorities are struggling to contain the Bundibugyo strain, an aggressive variant that currently lacks an approved vaccine or targeted therapeutic treatment. Violence from armed rebel groups and deep community mistrust in the eastern provinces are severely crippling frontline containment efforts. With many infections occurring outside monitored contact networks, the crisis risks escalating beyond national borders.
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