Congo Ebola death toll tops 1,400 as vaccine trials start

What the report says

DW reported that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has reached 3,200 confirmed infections, with health authorities listing 1,405 deaths since the outbreak began in late April. The outlet said the fatality rate is currently 43.9%, while experts believe the true toll could be higher because some infections may not have been detected or reported.

According to DW, citing the World Health Organization, nearly nine in 10 recorded cases are in Ituri province in the northeast, close to the borders with Uganda and South Sudan. The outbreak was declared on May 15 and has now affected five provinces in eastern DR Congo, a region already marked by conflict. Authorities have linked part of the recent increase in numbers to wider testing and better detection, while strikes by health workers over unpaid wages have complicated the response in some hospitals.

The outbreak is DR Congo’s 17th recorded Ebola epidemic and is being driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain. DW reported that there is currently no approved vaccine or strain-specific treatment for this form of Ebola, prompting scientists to accelerate vaccine and medicine development. Oxford University in the UK said the first volunteer has received an experimental vaccine designed for Bundibugyo Ebola, while other vaccine candidates and two possible treatments are also being developed.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from an infected person and can cause severe hemorrhagic fever. The reported vaccine trials matter because an effective tool against this strain could shape efforts to contain the current outbreak and prepare for future flare-ups.