Ebola death toll surges in DRC

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has taken a deadly turn, with thousands of people now affected by the virus.

On Sunday, the DRC’s National Public Health Institute told international publications that more than 2,000 people have died from the outbreak, while confirmed infections have risen to 4,945.

Government data shows the death toll has now surpassed the 2,299 deaths recorded during the 2018-2020 outbreak, which was previously the country’s worst on record.

The current outbreak is said to be caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus, which has no approved vaccines or treatments.

According to reports, a small number of experimental vaccines and therapies are being evaluated, while global health authorities assess whether existing Ebola treatments could offer protection and evidence so far is limited to animal studies.

The outbreak was declared on May 15 and has since gained momentum.

Health officials has attributed to weak health infrastructure, the region’s remoteness, and ongoing conflict near the DRC’s borders with South Sudan, Uganda, and Rwanda as hindering factors to responsive efforts.

According to government data, the case fatality ratio and the proportion of people dying after a confirmed infection has risen from about 20 percent in early June to 46 percent, meaning nearly one in every two confirmed cases is now deadly.