More than 7,000 confirmed cases in Congo’s Ebola outbreak

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen above 7,000, according to the latest government figures.

The current outbreak formally declared in mid-May has since spread to a seventh province in the central African country, the figures from the National Institute of Health in Kinshasa show.

Experts believe there is a high number of unreported cases. The outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus is believed to have spread undetected for months.

Of the 7,022 registered cases, 3,398 people have died, according to the authorities. Currently, 837 people are in isolation or receiving treatment.

Despite the fastest rise in cases ever recorded during an Ebola outbreak, the African health authority, Africa CDC, is optimistic that the trend could soon reverse.

Infectious disease expert Yap Boum said a slight decline has been observed in several hotspots in Ituri Province in the north-east of Congo, which has seen a particularly high number of cases.

The rise in the number of deaths has also slowed slightly, presumably because more people are seeking treatment at an early stage.

However, the death rate among people who haven’t received treatment in an Ebola treatment centre remains high.

Ebola is a life-threatening disease. The virus is transmitted through physical contact and contact with bodily fluids. It causes a highly contagious fever accompanied by diarrhoea and bleeding.

Currently, there is no specific vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain.