WHO Warns Congo Ebola Outbreak Could Be Deadliest Ever
The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on track to become the deadliest on record, having spread to a sixth province. More than 2,000 people are reported to have died. The virus is said to be spreading faster than in any previous outbreak.
The WHO’s director-general has cautioned that the epidemic could surpass the West African outbreak of 2014 to 2016, which killed more than 11,000 people, and its spread to a sixth province signals that containment is faltering. Effective vaccines exist this time, but reaching remote and insecure areas to deploy them is a formidable challenge in a region scarred by conflict, displacement and mistrust of health workers. Aid agencies warn that responders lack the resources they need to keep pace. International bodies are scaling up support, wary of the virus crossing borders or reaching crowded cities. The coming weeks will test whether the response can finally slow a fast-moving outbreak. Watch whether the vaccination drive gains ground or the toll keeps climbing.