Arabic version: ارتفاع حصيلة وفيات تفشي إيبولا في الكونغو إلى أكثر من 2300

According to SBS News, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed more than 2,300 people, with government data recording 4,945 cases and 2,325 deaths. The outbreak is described as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

The toll has surpassed the DRC’s 2018-2020 outbreak, which recorded 2,299 deaths from 3,481 cases. In the previous 24 hours, authorities reported 101 new cases and 33 deaths. More than 1,000 people have recovered, while 730 remain in hospitals or isolation.

The World Health Organization said the outbreak was moving at an “exceptional pace” and was on track to surpass the 2014-16 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which caused more than 11,000 deaths. It recorded 579 cases and 304 deaths in the previous week, a weekly record.

The Bundibugyo virus is responsible for the outbreak across six provinces in eastern Congo. There are no approved vaccines or treatments, although trials are under way in Ituri province. Experts believe the virus may have been spreading in the mining town of Mongbwalu as early as February, before the outbreak was declared on 15 May.

Doctors Without Borders emergency coordinator Trish Newport said community engagement remained a major challenge. Response efforts have also faced unpaid health-worker strikes, threats from rebel groups, difficult roads and misinformation. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher announced an additional $30.5 million and 20 more staff for the frontline response.