Ebola death toll passes 5,000 in DR Congo's deadliest outbreak

More than 5,000 people have died in an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to government data, with more than 10,300 confirmed cases recorded across eight of the country's 26 provinces. The outbreak began in May and was declared the deadliest in the country's history by August, public health officials said. The current case fatality rate stands at 48.6%. In its latest update, the health ministry said the epicentre remains in Ituri province in the north-east, a conflict zone where insecurity is making the virus harder to contain. Cases have also been confirmed in neighbouring countries. Uganda recorded two deaths and 20 cases shortly after the outbreak began, but none have been reported since August, and travel restrictions remain in place for people crossing from DR Congo. Kenya has confirmed nine cases and two deaths. In Nigeria, the disease control centre said two suspected cases identified on Saturday have been isolated and are undergoing testing, after a woman confirmed to have the disease earlier in October was flown to Switzerland for further treatment. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in DR Congo's history, according to the United Nations, and the second largest ever recorded. The country's previous deadliest outbreak, between 2018 and 2020, killed 2,299 people. The worst on record struck West Africa between 2014 and 2016, killing more than 11,325 people and spreading to several countries including Italy, the UK and the United States, according to the World Health Organization. The UN has warned that the current outbreak is "taking lives at a much faster rate". The WHO's Africa office said ending it requires a "continued scale-up of key control measures, greater access to affected areas, and community outreach", adding that testing, treatment and clinical trials of vaccines are under way. The Bundibugyo species of the virus is behind the current outbreak. There is not yet any vaccine or treatment for this strain, though clinical trials are in progress. Efforts to contain the virus have been hampered by violence against responders. Earlier this week, a nurse was killed and another health worker seriously injured while responding to an Ebola alert, after local youths accused them of contaminating water sources and spreading the virus, according to the UN-backed Radio Okapi. Last month, a politician was beaten to death after promoting measures to stop the spread of Ebola. In August, the Red Cross said its volunteers had been injured and an ambulance set on fire in 11 violent incidents during the outbreak's first 100 days. Ebola is a rare but often deadly disease caused by a virus, with symptoms that come on suddenly. As the disease progresses, patients develop vomiting and diarrhoea, and it can lead to organ failure. Some, but not all, patients develop internal and external bleeding. The virus spreads between people through contact with infected bodily fluids such as blood or vomit. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said the likelihood of infection for people in the Europe area is "very low".