Worst DR Congo Ebola epidemic ever passes 7,000 cases

KINSHASA: More than 7,000 Ebola cases have been recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s worst outbreak of the deadly disease ever, according to figures from the Congolese authorities. Thought to have been spreading under the radar for weeks, the DRC officially detected the latest outbreak in mid-May, with nearly 3,400 people killed in its 17th epidemic of the highly infectious virus.

It began in the northeastern Ituri province before spreading to conflict-plagued, remote eastern and northern regions where armed groups have roamed for decades, the presence of the state is weak and health infrastructure is largely lacking.

Earlier this week the disease was confirmed to have spread to a seventh province, South-Ubangi, which borders the Central African Republic and Congo-Brazzaville.