Ebola in Congo Kills 2,325, Marking Highest Death Toll in History

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has now killed 2,325 people. This figure surpasses the previous record of 2,299 deaths recorded between 2018 and 2020, according to government data released on Monday (17/08).

The deaths stem from 4,945 confirmed cases. The disease is transmitted through infected bodily fluids. It can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, and in severe cases, internal and external bleeding.

The United Nations (UN) has described the outbreak as “the fastest-spreading in recorded history” and said it is killing one person every half hour in Congo.

The outbreak is now the second deadliest after the West African outbreak of 2014-2016.

At that time, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), 28,616 cases and 11,310 deaths were recorded in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

How is the Ebola outbreak spreading in Congo?

The current outbreak is the 17th Ebola outbreak in Congo and is caused by the Bundibugyo species.

No vaccine or treatment has yet been approved for this disease.

Several weeks before the outbreak was announced on 15 May, transmission had already been occurring in Ituri Province, north-eastern Congo. The outbreak has now spread to five other provinces.

High fatality rate

According to government data, the case fatality rate has risen from around 20% in early June to 46% currently. This figure represents the proportion of deaths among those confirmed to be infected.

This means that nearly one in every two confirmed cases ends in death.

Experts say this increase does not mean the virus has become more lethal. Rather, the figure reflects weaknesses in surveillance, detection, and access to healthcare services.

The disease has killed more than 15,000 people in Africa over the past 50 years.