Ebola outbreak in DR Congo growing ‘exponentially’ as death toll passes 2,500

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is expanding exponentially, exceeding 2,500 confirmed deaths, with half of the fatalities occurring in the last two weeks, according to the United Nations’ senior Ebola coordinator on Friday.

This episode represents the largest Ebola surge in the country’s history and is advancing more quickly than any prior outbreak.

Julian Harneis, the U.N. senior Ebola coordinator, stated earlier today that case numbers are rising at an exponential pace.

He noted that over the past three months more than 2,500 individuals have succumbed to the disease, with approximately half of those deaths happening in the last twenty days.

Widespread Expansion of the Epidemic

The epidemic is spreading rapidly, affecting an area larger than France and outstripping existing containment measures.

Declared on May 15, the D.R.C.’s 17th Ebola outbreak was already in full swing weeks earlier than expected.

It has reached northern and eastern regions where state authority is limited, health services are minimal, and longstanding armed incursions persist.

Watch moreEbola in DRC: Deadliest outbreak on record “outpacing the response”

Harneis called for an accelerated response, stressing that increased staffing and higher resource allocation to remote eastern provinces could curtail transmission within months.

Without such action, he warned, the outbreak could become deadlier, broaden geographically, and threaten neighboring countries.

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