Confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo have surpassed 4,000 in the country’s ongoing outbreak, making it the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded, according to government data.
The outbreak, described by health experts as the fastest-spreading on record, has continued to expand across several provinces despite efforts to contain the disease.
The country’s public health institute said in its latest update that the total number of confirmed infections had reached 4,053, with 1,850 deaths recorded.
Cases have been reported in five provinces — Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Haut-Uele and Tshopo.
Health experts believe the outbreak began months before it was officially declared on May 15, suggesting that the actual number of infections could be significantly higher than the official figures.
A recent report published in the journal Science indicated that the outbreak may have started as early as January in Ituri province. Researchers identified more than 500 suspected cases between mid-January and May 15.
Experts attributed the rapid spread of the virus to delayed detection, weakened disease surveillance systems, ongoing conflict in affected areas, and limited access to vaccines and treatments for the particular Ebola strain involved.
The current outbreak has now become the largest in Congo’s history, although it remains behind the 2014–2016 Ebola crisis in West Africa, which recorded more than 28,000 cases across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Authorities and health partners continue to intensify response efforts as they work to limit further transmission and reduce fatalities.
