Africa's deadliest Ebola outbreak surpasses 10,000 cases with nearly 5,000 deaths, as the Bundibugyo strain spreads across multiple countries.
Outbreak surpasses 10,000 cases
The latest Ebola outbreak in Africa has exceeded 10,000 confirmed cases, with the majority in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), according to Congolese health authorities. Nearly 5,000 people have died from the virus, making this the deadliest outbreak in the country’s history. Cases spread across multiple countries
Cases have been detected in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The organization has warned that Africa is facing a "complex" challenge in containing the outbreak, which is spreading across the east, west, and central regions of the continent. High fatality rate and limited treatments
The case fatality rate of the outbreak appears to be approaching 50 percent, according to the Congolese National Institute of Public Health. Among the challenges is the lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the rare Ebola strain of Bundibugyo, which is responsible for the outbreak. Outbreak begins in northeastern DRC
The virus was first detected in the Ituri province in the northeast of the DRC after spreading unnoticed for weeks. This marks the beginning of the 17th known outbreak of Ebola in the country, which has long struggled with recurring epidemics of the disease.
