DRC Ebola outbreak tops 2,000 cases as deaths climb to 754

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has surpassed 2,000 confirmed cases, with 754 deaths reported. The disease, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, has spread to five provinces – Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo and Haut‑Uélé – at an unprecedented speed; the World Health Organization (WHO) says the number of cases may be two to four times higher than official figures and that about 80 % of new infections arise from unknown transmission chains.

No licensed vaccine or specific treatment exists for the Bundibugyo variant, though the first clinical trial of an antiviral drug has begun. Health‑worker strikes have erupted in Bunia General Hospital and the Rwampara treatment centre over unpaid wages and bonuses, further hampering response efforts. The WHO warns of funding gaps, attacks on health facilities and community mistrust, all of which threaten containment of the fastest‑growing Ebola outbreak on record.

International agencies are calling for urgent scaling‑up of medical resources, community engagement and surveillance to curb the epidemic.