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DR Congo Ebola outbreak becomes world's second-largest ever
DW.com • • general
Key Points:
- The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surpassed the total cases of the 2018-2020 epidemic, with 3,532 cases and 1,556 deaths confirmed across five provinces.
- This outbreak is the world's second-largest Ebola epidemic and is noted as the fastest-spreading, with a death toll five times higher in the first three months compared to previous outbreaks.
- The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine exists, but promising experimental vaccines are under development by Hilleman Laboratories and the University of Oxford.
- The epidemic is concentrated in the conflict-affected Ituri province and has spread to other provinces, including areas controlled by the M23 rebel group, complicating containment efforts.
- Health officials warn that the true scale of the outbreak may be underestimated due to ongoing instability and rapid case increases since mid-July.
