The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has risen to 11,042, with 5,387 deaths recorded, as authorities struggle to contain an outbreak that has become one of the deadliest in history.
Government data released on Tuesday show that the outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, has spread across eight of the country’s 26 provinces since it was declared in mid-May.
The outbreak is now the second-largest and second-deadliest Ebola epidemic on record, surpassed only by the 2014-2016 West African outbreak, which infected more than 28,600 people and claimed over 11,000 lives.
Health authorities face significant challenges in containing the virus, with delayed detection, ongoing conflict and overstretched health services contributing to its rapid spread.
Many deaths have occurred in communities outside treatment centres, highlighting difficulties in identifying infections early and ensuring patients receive timely medical attention.
The Bundibugyo strain presents an additional challenge because there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments for it, limiting available options for controlling the outbreak.
The epidemic has also spread beyond the DRC, with cases reported in East, Central and West Africa, marking the widest geographical spread of an Ebola outbreak on the continent to date.
The scale and geographical reach of the outbreak have raised concerns among health authorities about the challenges of containing the virus, particularly in areas affected by insecurity and limited healthcare infrastructure.