The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has risen above 5,000, according to government data released late Tuesday. Health officials have warned that current response efforts are struggling to control the deadly disease.
Congo’s 17th Ebola outbreak became the largest in the country’s history by number of cases in late July. Over the weekend, the death toll reached 2,378, according to the public health institute, surpassing the country’s previous worst outbreak from 2018 to 2020.
The institute has recorded 5,021 cases so far, according to its latest situation report. This makes it the world’s second-largest Ebola outbreak in terms of both cases and deaths, after the 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa.
The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.
The outbreak has continued to grow since it was declared May 15. Weak health infrastructure, resistance from local communities, instability and protests by response workers have made it difficult to identify cases and control the spread of the disease.
