KABUL (Pajhwok): More than 1,700 people have died in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with the World Health Organization (WHO) saying trials of experimental treatments, preventive medicines and vaccines are progressing at an unprecedented pace.
Al Jazeera, citing official figures from the DRC government, reported that 1,707 people had died from 3,802 confirmed cases since the outbreak was declared on May 15.
It said more than 17,000 people who had been in contact with infected patients were under health monitoring, with around 80 percent being followed up daily.
The outbreak is concentrated in Ituri province in eastern DRC, accounting for nearly 90 percent of all reported cases. However, infections have also been reported in five other provinces, including the major city of Kisangani.
The outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments, unlike some other Ebola strains.
WHO said more than 100 healthcare workers had contracted the disease since the outbreak began.
Health officials said efforts to contain the outbreak had been hampered by delays in contact tracing, insecurity caused by armed groups, attacks on health facilities, difficulties in accessing affected areas and mistrust of health authorities among some communities.
The report added that the current outbreak was the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record and the world’s second-largest Ebola outbreak.
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