Ebola outbreak in DRC surpasses previous record toll with 2,325 deaths

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now killed 2,325 people, surpassing a previous record toll of 2,299 from an outbreak in 2018-2020, government figures showed on Monday.

The deaths were from 4,945 confirmed cases of the disease, which is transmitted via infected bodily fluids and can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea and, in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

The United Nations says the outbreak "is the fastest growing on record" and is killing a victim every half an hour in the DRC.

The outbreak is now second in lethality only to one in West Africa in 2014-2016.

At that time, 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths were recorded across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organization.

How has the Ebola outbreak spread in DRC?

The current outbreak, DRC's 17th, is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola.

There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the disease.

The outbreak, which was declared on May 15, began — probably several weeks earlier — in northeastern Ituri province and has now spread to five more provinces.

High rate of fatalities

The case fatality ratio — the proportion of deaths following a confirmed infection — has risen from some 20% in early June to 46% now, government data has shown.

That means that nearly one in two confirmed cases ends in death.

Experts say this rise does not suggest that the virus has become more lethal but instead reflects deficiencies in surveillance, detection and access to care.

The disease has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.

Edited by: Natalie Muller