KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo: The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has risen to 600, according to the latest figures released by the World Health Organization (WHO).
The WHO said the outbreak has infected 1,759 people in eastern Congo. Just three days earlier, health officials had reported 500 deaths, indicating a sharp increase in fatalities.
The outbreak began in May and has spread across four provinces, with Ituri Province in northeastern Congo remaining the hardest-hit area.
The virus has also crossed the border into neighboring Uganda, where two deaths have been reported.
Health officials said there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the strain involved in the outbreak.
However, the WHO said clinical trials of an experimental vaccine and treatment have begun in Bunia, eastern Congo, in an effort to contain the disease and improve patient outcomes.
More read, WHO issues emergency alert over Ebola outbreak
Earlier, World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the rapidly spreading Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a global health emergency, issuing an urgent alert as deaths and infections continue to rise in parts of Central and East Africa.
The WHO said the situation has raised serious international concern due to cross-border transmission, though it noted that the outbreak has not yet reached the full criteria of a global pandemic.
According to the latest figures, at least 246 suspected cases have been reported in eastern Congo’s Ituri province, with 80 deaths linked to the virus so far. Uganda has also reported a growing number of confirmed infections, raising fears of further regional spread.
Health experts said the current strain is associated with the Bundibugyo virus, a rare and severe form of Ebola for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment is currently available.
