The Democratic Republic of Congo’s current Ebola outbreak has surpassed 4,000 confirmed cases, with the death toll reaching 1,850, according to the country’s latest health data.
The outbreak, which has spread across five provinces, has become the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record and is being described by experts as one of the fastest-spreading outbreaks ever recorded.
Data released by the country’s public health institute showed that the number of confirmed infections had risen to 4,053.
Cases have been reported in Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo provinces, highlighting the widening geographical spread of the disease.
Although the outbreak was officially declared on May 15, researchers believe Ebola had been circulating for several months before health authorities detected it.
A study published in the journal Science last month suggested that transmission may have begun in January, or even earlier, in Ituri province.
Researchers identified more than 500 suspected cases between mid-January and the official declaration of the outbreak in May.
Health experts have warned that the official figures may not reflect the full scale of the outbreak, with the actual number of infections potentially much higher.
The response has been complicated by delayed detection, strained disease surveillance systems and ongoing military conflict, all of which have made it more difficult for health authorities to identify cases and contain transmission.
The limited availability of vaccines and treatments targeting the strain responsible for the outbreak has further complicated containment efforts.
The scale of the current epidemic places it behind only the 2014–2016 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which recorded more than 28,000 cases across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
The latest figures underline the growing challenge facing health authorities as they work to contain the virus and prevent further transmission across affected communities.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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