Ebola deaths exceed 5,000 in DR Congo
WHO warns of continent-wide spread as outbreak worsens
The Brief
- Over 5,000 deaths reported in DR Congo's Ebola outbreak.
- WHO calls the death toll a 'very tragic milestone'.
- Outbreak has spread to 67 health zones across eight provinces.
The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that more than 5,000 people have died from the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
Official data from the Congolese Ministry of Health indicates that 5,026 people have died out of 10,351 confirmed infections, resulting in a fatality rate of nearly 50%.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, began in mid-May and has spread to 67 health zones in eight of the country's 26 provinces.
This outbreak is the second deadliest in history, following the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak that killed over 11,000 people.
Authorities have struggled with contact tracing and testing, while local skepticism has hindered containment efforts.
Health workers have faced delays in payments, leading to strikes that disrupted treatment centers and worsened the response to the outbreak.
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