The ongoing Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to surpass the deadliest one in history, which killed over 11,000 people between 2014 and 2016, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said.
"At its current pace, it's on track to eclipse the West African Ebola outbreak of 2014 to 2016," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters. The current outbreak in eastern Congo, considered the fastest-growing in history, has killed more than 2,000 people out of over 4,300 cases.
Health authorities now say sequencing showed the outbreak began in February, despite being officially declared on May 15. This outbreak is notable because the rare Bundibugyo virus responsible for it has no approved vaccines or treatments, though efforts to develop them are underway.
Experts cite ongoing conflict in the remote eastern Congo region, near the borders with South Sudan, Uganda, and Rwanda, as a major factor in the outbreak's rapid spread. The region's poor infrastructure and ill-equipped health centers further complicate containment efforts. Some health workers have reportedly gone on strike over lack of pay, and misinformation about the virus continues to circulate within communities, contributing to wariness of outsiders and reluctance to seek medical care.
"The outbreak had a big head start, still way ahead of us, and we’re playing catch-up," Tedros said. The WHO expects the peak of the outbreak to be reached in approximately six months, though a moderate scenario suggests it could last between nine months and 12 months.