Ebola outbreak in Congo becomes deadliest ever recorded: UN healthy agency

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 2,325 people, the highest death toll from the disease ever recorded in the African nation, the World Health Organization said Tuesday.

This outbreak, linked to the Bundibugyo strain, has killed 26 more people than the 2018-2020 epidemic, the UN health agency said, citing government data.

The number of confirmed cases has crossed 5,000, while the fatality rate has reached 46%, WHO Incident Manager Thierno Balde told reporters in Geneva via video link from Bunia, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Cases have also been detected in Bas-Uele, bringing the number of affected provinces to six.

“The situation is quite difficult, but people are working here days and nights trying to control this outbreak,” Balde said.

He said response teams face resistance from local communities “almost on a daily basis,” with an ambulance used in the response attacked Monday.

Balde also stressed the need to expand safe and dignified burials by training and equipping people already conducting burials in villages with chlorine and gloves.

He said the situation had stabilized in localities including Lita and Nizi, where response teams had been overwhelmed by community deaths six to seven weeks ago.

“Today, we are reporting only few cases, few deaths, and those deaths are being safely and dignifiedly, buried at the right time,” he said.

Congo declared the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak on May 15. There is currently no vaccine or approved treatment for the strain.

The outbreak has already been declared a public health emergency of international concern. The International Health Regulations Emergency Committee was due to meet Tuesday to assess the current risk level and issue recommendations to countries.