Ebola epidemic in DR Congo surpasses 6,000 confirmed cases

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s current Ebola epidemic has surpassed 6,000 confirmed cases and nearly 3,000 deaths, making it the deadliest outbreak in the country’s history, according to health data published Monday.

Authorities recorded 6,041 confirmed cases, 2,911 deaths and 1,366 recoveries from the start of the outbreak. The epidemic began in Ituri province in the northeast and has spread to six provinces across the country’s north and east.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which no vaccine or specific treatment has received approval. Several vaccines and treatments are being tested against the relatively little-known strain.

The virus can initially produce apparently mild symptoms, health authorities said, potentially delaying detection. The epidemic has also reached areas where state presence is fragile and armed groups operate, according to the report.

Most previous Ebola outbreaks in the country involved the Zaire strain. While researchers work toward a vaccine specifically targeting Bundibugyo, the World Health Organization has recommended a phase-three clinical trial of Ervebo, an approved vaccine for the Zaire strain.