Congo Ebola death toll nears 1,000 as outbreak spreads rapidly

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has climbed to 999, according to the latest official figures, underscoring the severity of what health authorities have described as the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record.

Data released by Congo’s Ministry of Health showed that, as of Sunday, the country had recorded 2,473 confirmed and suspected Ebola cases since the outbreak was declared on May 15. Of those, 999 people have died.

The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments, making containment efforts more challenging.

Health officials say the outbreak is spreading at an unprecedented pace. Previous outbreaks, including the 2013-2016 West Africa epidemic that claimed more than 11,000 lives, took around eight months to reach 1,000 deaths.

The current outbreak has reached that milestone in a significantly shorter period.

Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, vomit and semen. It often causes severe illness and can be fatal.

Authorities have expressed concern that about 80 percent of newly reported infections are linked to unknown transmission chains, indicating that the virus is spreading faster than health teams can identify and isolate cases.

The outbreak is centred in Ituri province but has also spread to four other provinces, prompting authorities to intensify surveillance and response efforts.

Response operations have been hampered by insecurity in some affected areas. Attacks on health facilities and medical teams have forced aid workers to suspend operations in certain locations, while some healthcare workers have staged strikes over unpaid salaries since the outbreak began.

Speaking at the Africa Health Summit in Ghana on Tuesday, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya urged stronger international support to contain the outbreak.

“If we do not stop this outbreak today, it could become one of the worst Ebola outbreaks the world has ever documented,” he warned.