More than 2,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) since the outbreak was declared less than three months ago, according to official government figures.
Data released on Tuesday showed that, as of that date, a total of 4,381 Ebola infections had been confirmed across five provinces of the DRC, including 2,011 deaths. Notably, at least 1,000 deaths occurred in just the past three weeks, indicating the virus continues to spread at an alarming rate.
This outbreak is considered the fastest-spreading ever recorded in the Central African nation and is the second largest in history, behind only the West Africa epidemic of 2014-2016, which killed 11,310 people.
The response effort is facing numerous challenges due to a complex mix of factors, including strikes by health workers over unpaid wages, the spread of misinformation, and traditional customs. In particular, intimate funeral practices for those who have died from the virus may increase the risk of community transmission.
There is still no officially approved treatment or vaccine for the rare Ebola Bundibugyo strain, which is responsible for the current outbreak in the DRC. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced last week that vaccine trials are underway, but results may not be available for several months.
The WHO also said the virus first appeared in the DRC in February, three months before the outbreak was officially declared in the country and neighboring Uganda on May 15.
Meanwhile, Israel's Health Ministry reported on Tuesday that it had been alerted to a suspected Ebola case in the country, after a citizen returned from the DRC. The individual has been quarantined and tested after showing symptoms of fever, with results expected within 24 hours.
