Death toll from Ebola outbreak in DR Congo surpasses 5,000
More than 5,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, according to the latest situation update released Saturday, as authorities battle the country's largest outbreak on record.
The cumulative number of cases has reached 10,351, the Health Ministry update showed.
The latest outbreak has affected eight provinces: Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Bas-Uele, Tshopo, South Ubangi and North Ubangi.
It is the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in Congo and the second-largest globally, after the 2014-2016 epidemic in West Africa.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) on Friday called for stronger measures to protect frontline workers after two young Congolese doctors died from Ebola earlier this week in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Persistent weaknesses in early detection and contact tracing are among the main obstacles to stopping the current Ebola transmission in Congo, according to health authorities.
Only about 12% of confirmed cases in Congo have been identified among previously known contacts, with many deaths occurring in communities, authorities said.
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