The Ebola outbreak continues to spread in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with the number of confirmed infections rising to 3,200.
The country’s health officials say 1,405 people have died from the virus since the outbreak began in late April, with the current fatality rate at 43.9%.
What do we know about the Ebola outbreak?
According to the World Health Organization, about 90% of the cases have been found in Ituri, the northeastern province near the border with Uganda and South Sudan.
Experts believe the actual number of cases may be much higher, with a large number of cases going undetected or unreported. However, officials attributed the sharp increase to better detection and expanded testing.
The outbreak, declared on May 15, has spread to five provinces in the country’s conflict-torn east.
Experts have warned that this epidemic may continue for the next several months. A strike by health workers over unpaid salaries has also hampered the response in some hospitals.
This is the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Can vaccination prevent the spread of the virus?
The epidemic is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Scientists are developing several vaccines and drugs targeting this strain.
Britain’s Oxford University says the first volunteer has received an experimental vaccine specifically designed to protect against Bundibugyo Ebola.
Other vaccine candidates must undergo accelerated clinical trials, while researchers are also developing two potential treatments.
Ebola is spread by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person and can cause severe hemorrhagic fever.
More than 15,000 people have died from the disease in Africa over the past 50 years.
Edited by: Dmytro Lyubenko
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