More than 3,000 people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s worsening Ebola outbreak, according to government figures released on Wednesday.
The official toll has climbed to 3,007 deaths from 6,186 confirmed infections, making it the largest and deadliest Ebola epidemic recorded in the country.
The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, has now surpassed Congo’s 2018–2020 epidemic. It is the world’s second-deadliest Ebola outbreak after the 2014–2016 West African crisis, which killed more than 11,000 people and infected over 28,600 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Congolese authorities formally declared the outbreak in the northeastern province of Ituri on May 15. However, some health officials and specialists believe infections may have begun circulating as early as January.
Despite containment efforts involving the government, the World Health Organization and humanitarian agencies, the virus has spread to six provinces.
Health experts say insecurity, inadequate disease-surveillance systems and resistance within some communities have made it difficult to detect infections and begin treatment promptly.
The WHO estimates that roughly 60% of Ebola-related deaths are occurring outside treatment centres, underscoring the challenges facing health workers in locating and isolating patients before the disease proves fatal.
There are currently no approved vaccines or treatments specifically targeting the Bundibugyo strain. Several potential vaccines are under development, including candidates from the University of Oxford and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
Congolese authorities have begun administering Merck’s Ervebo vaccine to frontline health workers. Although the vaccine is licensed against the Zaire strain of Ebola, researchers believe it may provide some protection against Bundibugyo.