WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The latest figures from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) show that the Ebola outbreak has reached 9,066 cases and 4,381 deaths.
The West African outbreak was caused by the Zaire strain of the virus, the most common type of Ebola. The current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain, for which there are no approved treatments or vaccines. The outbreak has a case fatality rate of 48.2%, meaning nearly half of the reported cases have resulted in death.
It is the second-largest Ebola outbreak in history, after the 2014-2016 outbreak in West Africa, which killed more than 11,000 people across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Last week, Kenya reported its first imported case of Ebola. A Kenyan national living in the DRC travelled through Uganda before reaching Nairobi, where he died.
Earlier this year, Uganda reported 20 cases and two deaths. However, the country was declared Ebola-free in August.
The current outbreak in the DRC was officially announced in mid-May, but some experts believe it may have started as early as February. The virus spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids and has reached seven provinces in the northern and eastern parts of the country.
Efforts to control the outbreak are facing several challenges. Health workers and other responders are struggling with mistrust among local communities, where some people believe the disease is being used as an excuse by officials to misuse public funds.
The outbreak is also taking place amid an ongoing conflict between the M23 rebel group and government forces. The fighting has made it difficult to transport medical supplies and other healthcare resources to remote areas.
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