Ebola Death Toll Hits 600 as Congo Outbreak Worsens

(Ebola outbreak. Photo by Punch News)

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now claimed 600 lives, according to updated figures released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday.

This comes just three days after the d£ath toll surpassed 500.

The latest data, compiled by the WHO based on information from Congolese health authorities, shows that the country has recorded 1,759 confirmed Ebola cases since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, including 600 confirmed d£aths.

The outbreak has also spread beyond the DRC’s borders, with neighbouring Uganda reporting two d£aths.

Ugandan health authorities have confirmed 20 cases, of which 17 patients have since recovered.

The WHO noted that the outbreak in the DRC currently carries a case fatality rate of about 34 per cent.

Health officials also reported that 285 patients have recovered so far, while 304 suspected cases remain under investigation.

Although the outbreak has affected four provinces in northeastern DRC, Ituri Province remains the epicentre.

The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no approved vaccines or licensed treatments currently exist.

In response, authorities launched a clinical trial on July 2 to evaluate two potential therapies, assessing the effectiveness of the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir, both individually and in combination.

Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated materials.

The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15 after several d£aths were reported in the mineral-rich Ituri Province, a region long plagued by armed conflict and insecurity.