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HealthCongo Ebola deaths top 1,000 in fastest-spreading outbreak on record
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The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 1,000 deaths, with 2,536 cases reported since May 15, making it the fastest-growing outbreak on record. The Bundibugyo virus strain responsible has no approved vaccines or treatments. Dr. Jean Kaseya of the Africa CDC highlighted the lack of vaccines, medicine, and funding as contributing to deaths. The current outbreak is spreading faster than health officials can track, compared to the 2013-2016 outbreak which took eight months to reach 1,000 deaths. A Merck Ebola vaccine licensed for the Zaire virus may offer some cross-protection against Bundibugyo, according to a New England Journal of Medicine study, but the WHO has shown lukewarm support for testing it in Congo. Bundibugyo-specific vaccines remain months away from clinical trials.
Source report
More than 1,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo, marking the fastest-growing outbreak on record, African health officials announced Wednesday.
Key Statistics
- Total cases reported: 2,536 since the outbreak was declared on May 15
- Deaths: Over 1,000
- Virus strain: Bundibugyo virus
No Approved Treatments Available
"There are no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo virus responsible for the outbreak," Congo's Ministry of Health confirmed.
Dr. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, addressed the crisis at a health summit in Ghana: "These are people dying" because "we don't have vaccines, we don't have medicine, we don't have funding."
Comparison to Previous Outbreaks
According to The Associated Press, in the worst Ebola outbreak to date—which killed more than 11,000 people between 2013 and 2016—it "took about eight months from the first case to reach 1,000 deaths." The current outbreak in Congo appears to be "spreading faster than health officials can track it."
Potential Vaccine Developments
A paper published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine suggests that an Ebola vaccine from Merck, licensed to target the Zaire virus, could also offer some protection against the Bundibugyo species.
However, the World Health Organization has "expressed lukewarm support" for testing the vaccine in Congo, according to Stat News. Bundibugyo-specific vaccines remain "still months away" from clinical trials.
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Congo Ebola Deaths Exceed 1,000 in Fastest-Growing Outbreak