Ebola Outbreak in DRC on Track to be Deadliest Ever

The current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to become the deadliest ever recorded, according to the director general of the World Health Organization. The virus has caused more than 2,000 deaths out of at least 4,300 confirmed cases. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the outbreak could eclipse the 2014 to 2016 occurrence that killed at least 11,000 people. The UN chief warned that the epidemic is doubling every 20 days.

This outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, which has no approved vaccine or recognized therapeutic drugs. Health officials believe the virus began spreading in February, though it was not officially declared until May 15. Early cases were often misdiagnosed as malaria or typhoid. Regional instability in the east of DR Congo has hindered control efforts, with health workers reaching only about 30 percent of cases.

Efforts to combat the virus include a clinical trial sponsored by the WHO to test two existing antiviral therapies. Additionally, the UK's medicines regulator has permitted the first human trials of a vaccine developed by the University of Oxford using technology similar to the Oxford AstraZeneca Covid vaccine. Three other groups are also developing vaccines, though they have not yet entered clinical trials. The WHO hopes to bring transmission under control within three months, although this would not end the outbreak entirely.