Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo becomes deadliest nationally

An Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 2,325 people, making it the deadliest in the country's history. The previous record was 2,299 deaths, from an outbreak between 2018 and 2020. This is the DRC's 17th Ebola outbreak. It was declared on 15 May and reached 2,000 deaths in under three months. Nearly 5,000 cases have been confirmed across six of the country's 26 provinces. The outbreak started in Ituri province, which has recorded over 3,400 cases. The virus responsible is the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or treatment. Weak health services and ongoing conflict in the region have made the response very difficult. Globally, only the 2014-2016 West African outbreak has been deadlier, killing over 11,000 people.