UN: Ebola outbreak in DR Congo claims one life every half hour

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is escalating at an alarming rate, with the United Nations humanitarian chief, Tom Fletcher, reporting that one person is dying every half hour. Fletcher described the current outbreak as the fastest-growing ever recorded, underscoring the urgent need for swift and extensive intervention.

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The outbreak is the fastest-growing, we have ever registered.

Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, at least 2,128 people have died, and over 4,500 have been confirmed infected with the deadly virus. The UN has previously warned that this epidemic could become the deadliest on record, surpassing the 2018-2020 outbreak where nearly 2,300 people died.

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We have need for speed, a larger scale effort and solidarity, before the virus gets an even bigger lead.

"Ebola is winning in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We cannot let the virus spread faster than our efforts can keep up," Fletcher stated, emphasizing the critical need for speed, a larger-scale response, and global solidarity. Cases have been registered in six provinces within the DRC and in neighboring Uganda.

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Ebola is winning in the Democratic Republic of Congo. We cannot let the virus spread faster than our efforts can keep up.

Despite efforts, including the deployment of additional personnel and a significant financial commitment of nearly $300 million from various countries, the response faces challenges. Fletcher highlighted the need to double burial teams, triple treatment capacity, improve contact tracing, and deploy more experienced leaders. A particular difficulty is that this outbreak involves the Bundibugyo variant, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment.

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The epidemic is taking the life of a person every 30 minutes.