Ebola has killed more than 1,700 people in eastern Congo, marking the fastest-growing outbreak of the disease on record. As of Tuesday, government data shows 3,802 cases have been recorded, resulting in 1,707 deaths. The peak of the outbreak remains uncertain, according to Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa CDC.

Kaseya noted that nearly 80% of new cases are emerging from community transmission rather than from direct contact tracing. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is scheduled to visit the Congolese capital, Kinshasa, and subsequently the outbreak's epicenter in Bunia later this week. The outbreak, declared on May 15, is associated with the Bundibugyo virus, for which no vaccines or treatments are currently approved.

The response efforts have been hindered by several factors, including delays in contact tracing, difficulties in accessing affected regions, mistrust from local communities, and violence perpetrated by armed groups and some residents, according to the Africa CDC. Two clinical trials for post-exposure prophylaxis drugs are underway in Ituri province, alongside separate vaccine trials being conducted in the UK and Canada.

The outbreak is primarily concentrated in the remote Ituri province in eastern Congo, accounting for nearly 90% of all cases. However, cases have also been reported in five other provinces, including Kisangani, one of the country's largest cities.

Patient zero in this outbreak has not yet been identified, posing a significant challenge. Displacement due to armed conflict and illegal mining activities in the region further complicates efforts to trace thousands who may have come into contact with infected individuals. The WHO stated that it is monitoring over 17,000 potential contacts, with approximately 80% being checked daily.

Healthcare workers in the heavily impacted town of Mongbwalu issued an ultimatum on Monday regarding unpaid wages, threatening escalation if their demands are not met within 24 hours. Previously, healthcare workers in Bunia had gone on strike, citing a lack of pay and unsafe working conditions. The WHO reports that over 100 healthcare workers have contracted Ebola since the outbreak began.

This latest Ebola outbreak has demonstrated a quicker mortality rate compared to previous outbreaks. For instance, the 2014-2016 outbreak, which saw 28,000 cases and over 11,000 deaths, took approximately eight months to reach 1,000 fatalities. The current response is also strained by a funding gap, attacks on health facilities, the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, and a lack of trust among local populations. A study involving two potential Ebola treatments has recently commenced enrollment in Ituri.

Neighboring Uganda declared itself free of Ebola in mid-June after its last patient was discharged.