Ebola outbreak in Congo claims over 300 lives in a week

Key Points:

• Over 300 people died from Ebola in eastern Congo in the past week, marking one of the highest weekly death tolls in the outbreak, which has reached 5,514 cases and 2,642 deaths as of Saturday.
• The current outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, is the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic in history, with a fatality rate of nearly 48% overall and up to 68.6% in hard-to-reach areas like North Kivu province.
• Congo recently received over 16,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, previously effective against a different Ebola strain, though its efficacy against Bundibugyo is still uncertain and it will be used in clinical trials.
• The outbreak is complicated by rebel threats, population movements, misinformation, and logistical challenges such as unpaid health workers, poor infrastructure, and community resistance.
• Experts believe the virus was spreading undetected in the mining town of Mongbwalu months before the official outbreak declaration in mid-May.