Ebola outbreak on track to be deadliest ever, WHO chief says
Summary
The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) in 2026 is likely to become the deadliest ever, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The outbreak has caused over 2,000 deaths since May and is spreading faster than health workers can control it.Key Facts
- The 2026 Ebola outbreak in DR Congo started spreading around February but was declared officially in May.
- Over 4,300 cases and more than 2,000 deaths have been reported so far.
- This outbreak could surpass the 2014-2016 outbreak, which caused at least 11,000 deaths.
- The virus involved is the rare Bundibugyo species, which has no approved vaccine or specific treatment yet.
- Health workers can currently reach only about 30% of cases due to regional instability.
- Symptoms of Ebola include fever, headache, vomiting, and can lead to organ failure. The disease spreads through contact with infected body fluids.
- The UK's medicine agency (MHRA) has approved the first human vaccine trials for Bundibugyo Ebola, developed by the University of Oxford.
- WHO is also testing two existing antiviral drugs in the DR Congo to see if they improve survival rates.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
