At a Glance

• 2,011 confirmed deaths reported
• 4,381 confirmed cases recorded
• 704 patients remain isolated
• Outbreak declared on May 15

More than 2,000 people have died in Congo's Ebola outbreak, according to the latest government figures, making it the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record.

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Key Statements and Focus Area

• The outbreak has reached 4,381 cases; 2,011 deaths have been recorded among confirmed cases. The latest 1,000 deaths were recorded in about three weeks.
• The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo virus, for which there are no approved vaccines or treatments.
• The World Health Organization said the outbreak began in February, months before it was detected.

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Government data released overnight into Tuesday showed that Congo's Ebola outbreak has recorded 4,381 confirmed cases, including 2,011 deaths.

A further 704 patients are currently receiving care in admission and isolation facilities.

The outbreak was officially declared on May 15, and the death toll has increased rapidly since then.

It took approximately nine weeks for the outbreak to reach 1,000 deaths.

The number of deaths doubled to more than 2,000 in only around three additional weeks, highlighting concerns from responders that assistance is not reaching remote communities quickly enough.

The current outbreak differs from many previous Ebola outbreaks because it is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a rare strain for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.

The World Health Organization said Monday that the outbreak began in February, months before health authorities detected it in one of Congo's most remote and vulnerable areas.

The first Ebola virus was identified in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The current outbreak is the country's 17th Ebola outbreak and is now its largest.

FYI

Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause high fever, bleeding, and organ failure. The virus spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of infected people or contaminated materials. The current outbreak's rapid growth has intensified concerns over access to remote communities and the availability of effective medical countermeasures.

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