The Bundibugyo virus has killed 5,387 people, marking the most severe outbreak in the country's history, according to government data.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing its deadliest Ebola outbreak, with 11,042 recorded infections and 5,387 deaths, according to government data reported by the Times of India. The outbreak, which was officially declared in mid-May, has seen nearly half of those infected die from the virus.
The Bundibugyo virus, which currently has no known vaccine or treatment, has spread to eight of the country's 26 provinces. The disease has also been confirmed in Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda, making it the most geographically widespread outbreak on record.
Containment efforts have been hindered by armed conflicts in the Ituri and North Kivu provinces, as well as attacks on health workers and medical facilities. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) noted that 80 per cent of new cases are detected outside official health surveillance systems.
The humanitarian organisation Doctors Without Borders (MSF) stated there is a troubling disconnect between the resources mobilised for the response and the assistance actually reaching patients and communities. Additionally, the Africa CDC has raised concerns regarding more than $700 million in Ebola aid that has not been accounted for.
Children have been particularly affected, with Unicef data showing they accounted for 35 per cent of deaths recorded through November 4. Among children under five, nearly 72 per cent of those infected died.
