Ebola death toll in Democratic Republic of Congo surpasses 5,000

As of today, 5,026 deaths have been attributed to the highly contagious disease since mid-May, with a total of 10,351 confirmed cases. Currently, 1,101 individuals are receiving treatment or are in isolation, while 2,788 former patients have recovered.

The actual number of cases and deaths may be even higher. Experts believe the disease may have been spreading undetected since at least February, prior to the official declaration of the outbreak on May 15th.

The outbreak, linked to the Bundibugyo virus strain, has shown a concerning rate of increase.

Cases have also emerged in Kenya, attributed to a deceased Kenyan citizen who had previously been in the Congo. Nigeria reported its first Ebola case on October 20th. The illness of the wife of a Swiss diplomat, who had recently returned from a multi-week trip to Uganda, was also linked to the virus.

One case has been reported in Europe: a doctor in France tested positive for Ebola after a humanitarian mission in eastern Congo and has since recovered.

Ebola is a life-threatening disease transmitted through contact with bodily fluids, causing a highly contagious fever with diarrhea and bleeding.

The outbreak is particularly challenging to contain because there is currently no specific vaccine or therapy for the Bundibugyo virus strain. Early symptoms can be easily confused with malaria, potentially delaying isolation and treatment.

Clinical trials for two antiviral therapies began in July, and trials for vaccines are also underway. Researchers are investigating whether the Ervebo vaccine, currently approved for a different Ebola virus strain (formerly known as Zaire-Ebolavirus), offers protection against the Bundibugyo variant.