Congo's Ebola outbreak becomes second-largest in history
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has surpassed the 2018-2020 outbreak's case total to become the second-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded, with no approved vaccine yet to stop it. Contact tracing coverage remains well below th
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain, has become the second-largest Ebola outbreak in recorded history, behind only the 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic. The DRC government confirms more than 3,500 cases and over 1,500 deaths, with WHO placing the toll even higher, surpassing the 3,481 cases from the 2018-2020 outbreak in about 11 weeks. Unlike the more familiar Zaire strain, no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment exists for Bundibugyo, leaving contact tracing as the only containment tool - and it currently covers just 78 percent of exposed contacts, short of the 90 percent WHO says is needed to stop transmission. Africa CDC reports most recent deaths are happening outside treatment centers. Oxford University began testing the first-ever vaccine for this strain on July 24, though the trial remains in early safety testing and will not help the current outbreak. Sources: TechTimes, Al Jazeera, World Health Organization.