Congo Ebola outbreak tops 5,000 deaths as cases spread regionally
Why it matters: The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment, and cases have also been confirmed in Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda.
The Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has killed more than 5,000 people, becoming the country's deadliest epidemic and the second largest Ebola outbreak on record. Government data showed about 10,300 confirmed cases and a fatality rate near 49% after the outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, was declared in May. Health officials say the epidemic now spans 67 health zones across eight provinces, with eastern conflict-hit areas including Ituri and North Kivu at the center. Authorities are struggling to trace contacts and expand treatment, while some infections have crossed into Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda, raising fears of wider spread across Africa.