EBOLA OUTBREAK WORSENING

GENEVA, AUGUST 1 /SRNA/ – The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa is not only under control but is worsening in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with a growing risk of spreading to neighbouring countries despite efforts made in recent weeks, the World Health Organization /WHO/ said.

According to the , this is the largest Ebola outbreak the country has ever experienced.

"A significant scale-up of the response is needed to bring the outbreak under control," the WHO’s statement reads.

During the past week, 567 new infections and 296 deaths were reported, more than in any other week since the latest outbreak began.

The WHO estimates that there have been 3,605 laboratory-confirmed cases, including 1,587 deaths. A total of 651 patients have recovered from the disease.

The previous largest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo occurred between 2018 and 2020, when 3,317 confirmed cases were recorded.

The outbreak currently involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is no approved vaccine.

Clinical trials of a vaccine against the strain are currently underway.