WHO Warns Congo Ebola Could Become Deadliest on Record
The World Health Organization warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is the fastest-spreading on record and on course to become the deadliest ever. The death toll has passed 2,000, with more than 4,000 cases reported across several provinces. The agency has set a three-month target to bring the outbreak under control.
The WHO’s director-general said the outbreak could eclipse the West African epidemic of 2014 to 2016, which killed more than 11,000, if the current pace of transmission continues. Unlike that earlier disaster, responders now have effective vaccines, but deploying them across a vast, conflict-scarred region with weak health infrastructure is a formidable task. Insecurity, displacement and mistrust of health workers have all hampered containment, allowing the virus to outrun the response. The scale has raised fears of spread to neighbouring countries or crowded cities. International agencies are scaling up support against a narrowing window. Watch whether the vaccination drive can finally slow the outbreak within the WHO’s three-month goal.