The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has recorded more than 11,000 confirmed Ebola infections in what has become the country’s deadliest outbreak of the disease, according to official health figures released on Wednesday.
Data from the National Institute of Public Health showed that the outbreak has infected 11,042 people and claimed 5,387 lives since it was officially declared in May. Health experts, however, believe the virus may have been circulating for weeks or even months before authorities confirmed its presence.
So far, about 2,990 patients have recovered from the disease, which spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids and can cause severe haemorrhagic fever.
The current epidemic has surpassed the DRC’s previous worst Ebola outbreak, which occurred between 2018 and 2020 and resulted in nearly 2,300 deaths from about 3,500 cases.
The outbreak began in the northeastern province of Ituri before spreading to seven additional provinces, with the majority of cases concentrated in Ituri and neighbouring North Kivu. Cases have also been reported in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria.
Health authorities face significant challenges in containing the outbreak because no approved vaccine or treatment currently exists for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola responsible for the latest surge in infections.
In an effort to find a solution, the World Health Organization recently announced plans to conduct a full human trial of the Ervebo vaccine in the DRC. Although the vaccine is approved for the more common Zaire strain of Ebola, researchers hope to determine whether it can provide protection against the Bundibugyo variant.
The public health emergency has been further complicated by persistent insecurity in eastern Congo, where armed groups continue to operate.
Authorities reported that an Ebola treatment centre in Lolwa, Ituri Province, was set ablaze by youths on Sunday. On the same day, clashes involving local militias forced a temporary suspension of health response activities in the Fataki area, according to the United Nations.
Meanwhile, rebels linked to the Islamic State-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) have carried out a series of deadly attacks across Ituri, Haut-Uele and North Kivu provinces, adding to concerns over the safety of health workers and response teams.
With the virus continuing to spread and security challenges disrupting containment efforts, health officials warn that controlling the outbreak will require both enhanced medical interventions and improved security conditions in affected
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