Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed nearly 1,000 people
An Ebola outbreak in Congo has resulted in nearly 1,000 deaths, making it the fastest-spreading instance of the disease on record. Health officials are struggling to contain the virus due to a lack of approved vaccines and community resistance to safe burial practices.
Why it matters
The rapid transmission and high mortality rate of this specific virus strain pose a significant threat to public health stability in the region.
By PROSPER HERI NGORORA and CONSTANT SAME BAGALWA Associated Press BUNIA, Congo (AP) — At least 999 people have died from the Ebola outbreak in Congo, according to official data published overnight into Wednesday, a grim toll in what’s already been declared the fastest Ebola outbreak in history. The latest update from Congo’s Ministry of Health shows that as of Monday, 2,473 cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak, and 999 people have died. At least 737 patients are currently in isolation and hospitals, it said. The outbreak declared on May 15 is unlike most previous Ebola outbreaks because the Bundibugyo virus responsible for it has no approved vaccines or treatments. It has also killed more people at a quicker rate than any outbreak on record, including the 2013-2016 outbreak that is considered the worst on record with over 11,000 deaths out of at least 28,000 cases.
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