Congo Ebola Outbreak Crosses 5,000 Cases, Death Toll Hits 2,378

Congo’s Ebola outbreak has crossed 5,000 cases, with health officials warning that the virus is spreading at an unprecedented speed and putting response teams under severe pressure.

Data from Congo’s Health Ministry showed 5,021 cases and 2,378 deaths as of Sunday. The outbreak, which was officially declared on May 15, is now the country’s largest Ebola outbreak on record. It has also surpassed the 2018 to 2020 outbreak in Congo, which had previously been the country’s worst.

The outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a less common form of the virus for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. Vaccine and treatment trials are underway, but they are still being studied.

Health officials say the virus is spreading about three times faster than the 2014 to 2016 West Africa outbreak, which remains the deadliest Ebola outbreak on record, with more than 11,000 deaths.

Most cases have been reported in Ituri province, where fighting, displacement and frequent movement of people are making it harder to find patients and track their contacts. Mobile gold miners are also moving between remote areas, creating more challenges for health teams trying to follow possible chains of infection.

The response has also faced attacks and shortages. Health workers have struggled with limited staff, poor roads and a lack of supplies. In one recent incident in Aru, an ambulance was set on fire and vehicles were damaged after a suspected Ebola case was reported.

The World Health Organization has warned that the outbreak is far from under control, while many new infections are being found outside known groups of contacts. That makes it harder to stop the virus before it reaches more people.

The United Nations has pledged $30.5 million in additional emergency aid as Congo and its partners try to expand testing, treatment, contact tracing and other response work.

With cases still rising quickly, health officials fear the outbreak could become even deadlier unless the response catches up with the virus.