Ebola outbreak in Congo spreads faster than any in history

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is escalating at an unprecedented rate, surpassing all previous epidemics in its speed of spread, according to Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response at the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Updated figures from the UN health agency reveal a grim toll: 1,759 confirmed cases and 600 confirmed deaths since the outbreak began in mid-May. This rapid progression starkly contrasts with the 2013-2016 West Africa epidemic, which saw only 994 infections in its first six weeks and a total of 11,325 cases. The current outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists, and which is believed to have been circulating undetected for some time.

In a critical development, trials for two potential treatments commenced on July 2nd in Congo. Researchers are now evaluating the efficacy of a monoclonal antibody, MBP134, and the antiviral drug remdesivir, both individually and in combination. The World Health Organization reports the current epidemic's fatality rate at 34 percent, adding urgency to the ongoing research efforts.