Ebola outbreak in Congo nears deadliest on record, WHO warns

firstpost.com

The World Health Organization chief warned Wednesday that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on pace to become the deadliest ever, potentially surpassing the 2014-2016 epidemic that killed at least 11,000 people. The 2026 outbreak, declared on May 15, has already recorded over 4,300 cases and more than 2,000 deaths. WHO officials said they aim to control transmission within three months, though they acknowledged the virus is spreading faster than response efforts. The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, with no approved vaccine or treatments available. Health workers are reaching only about 30 percent of cases due to regional turbulence, and the virus was initially misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid.


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