Congo Ebola Outbreak Tops 5,021 Cases as Bundibugyo Virus Spreads 3 Times Faster

3 articles · Updated · The Associated Press · Aug 19

5,021 cases and 2,378 deaths had been recorded in Congo’s Ebola outbreak by Sunday, with WHO warning the epidemic remains far from under control.
Three factors are driving the surge: insecurity, displacement and intense population movement, while the Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment and many new infections are surfacing outside monitored contacts.
Ituri province has become a flashpoint for the response — residents in Aru attacked a health team Monday, burned an ambulance and damaged two other vehicles, while some health workers have also struck over unpaid wages.
47.4% of reported patients have died overall, and the fatality rate reaches 70% in North Kivu, underscoring how limited care and late reporting are worsening outcomes.
WHO says the outbreak is spreading faster than any previous Ebola event and could surpass the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed more than 11,000 people.