The Congolese health ministry announced on Thursday that the death toll from the current Ebola outbreak has reached 600. New suspected cases have been identified in the provinces of Tshopo and Haut-Uele, marking a geographic expansion of the virus beyond its initial epicenter in Ituri province. According to a government report, the total number of confirmed cases nationwide stands at 1,759.
The Africa Centre for Disease Control classified this as the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on the continent. Of the two suspected cases in Tshopo, authorities stated that one is linked to the Nia-Nia health zone in Ituri, while the second case has no known geographical connection to previously recorded outbreaks. The outbreak, which was officially declared on May 15, involve the Bundibugyo strain of the virus.
Health officials noted that there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, though clinical trials for experimental treatments began last week. Containment efforts have faced several challenges, including a lack of funding, physical attacks on health centers, and ongoing armed conflict in the eastern regions of the country.