600 dead in DR Congo Ebola outbreak

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has tragically resulted in 600 confirmed deaths, as reported by the World Health Organization. This grim milestone was reached just three days after the death toll surpassed 500.

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The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now claimed 600 lives, figures published by the World Health Organization showed Thursday, only three days after the figure topped 500.

Updated figures from the UN health agency indicate a total of 1,759 confirmed cases in the DRC since the outbreak was declared in mid-May. The outbreak has a case fatality rate of 34 percent within the DRC. Additionally, two deaths have been reported in neighboring Uganda, where 20 confirmed cases have been recorded, with 17 patients having recovered.

In the DRC, 285 patients have recovered, while 304 suspected cases of the viral hemorrhagic fever remain under investigation. The outbreak, primarily concentrated in Ituri province, has affected four provinces in the northeastern part of the country. This particular outbreak is being fueled by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, a strain for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.

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The outbreak in northeastern DRC has hit four provinces but is focused on Ituri province.

Efforts to combat the disease are underway, with a trial evaluating two potential treatments for the Bundibugyo species commencing on July 2. The trial will assess the effectiveness of the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, administered both individually and in combination. Ebola is known to spread through close contact and infected bodily fluids. The DRC's 17th Ebola outbreak was declared on May 15, following a cluster of deaths in the mineral-rich Ituri province, an area frequently impacted by armed groups.

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The outbreak is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.