The Canada Brief

World · 8 d ago

Ebola virus under an electron microscope

Ebola cases in the DR Congo pass 10,000

Ebola in the DR Congo

10,060 confirmed cases

Government data released on Tuesday put confirmed cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at 10,060 and deaths at 4,887, in the country's fastest-growing Ebola outbreak.

This outbreak

10,060 cases, 4,887 deaths

2018 to 2020

~3,500 cases, ~2,300 deaths

It is the deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country's history; the previous worst, in 2018 to 2020, killed nearly 2,300 people from about 3,500 cases.

Where it has spread

  • DR Congo: 66 health zones in eight provinces
  • Uganda: 20 cases, two deaths, none active now
  • Kenya: nine confirmed cases, two deaths
  • Nigeria: one case, evacuated to Switzerland

Beyond the DR Congo's eight affected provinces, the virus has been recorded in Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria.

The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment, and about 80 per cent of new cases come from outside known chains of transmission. Africa CDC says at least 95 per cent must come from known contacts for an outbreak to be under control.