According to Congolese authorities, over 8,000 cases of Ebola have been registered in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including nearly 4,000 deaths. This outbreak is considered the most serious in the country's history.
In mid-May, the DRC officially declared its seventeenth Ebola outbreak. This deadly disease has claimed more than 15,000 lives in Africa over the past five decades.
Currently, authorities have recorded 8,067 cases, of which 3,901 are deaths and 2,070 have recovered. The latest official data indicates a fatality rate of 48.4 percent.
The outbreak began in the northeastern province of Ituri and has spread to seven provinces. The highest number of registered cases is in Ituri, North Kivu, and Upper Uele.
Despite the initial rapid increase in cases, the pace has slowed. However, the African Union's health agency, Africa CDC, believes that the outbreak is 'out of control.'
Tests for various vaccines and treatments against the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola are currently underway, although no approved vaccine or treatment is available yet.
Medical assistance faces resource shortages in remote areas. The situation is complicated by armed groups obstructing movement, as well as mistrust from some local populations, leading to violence against humanitarian personnel.
According to the latest report from the Ministry of Health of Congo, a case identification worker was killed during an armed attack on a medical post in North Kivu province. The report also highlighted the 'low capacity' to treat cases in medical centers in Ituri province.
Furthermore, in the northeastern province of Tshopo, where cases are being recorded, there is a 'complete shortage' of supplies of the experimental vaccine against the Bundibugyo strain.
In recent weeks, the DRC began administering the first doses of the Ervebo vaccine to frontline medical staff as part of clinical trials. This vaccine has proven effective against the previously most common Zaire strain.
In August, approximately 70,000 doses of Ervebo were allocated to the DRC from the global Ebola vaccine reserve. Additionally, last week, the United States announced an allocation of another $267 million to combat Ebola.
