Ebola outbreak death toll rises above 5,300 in Africa

The latest Ebola outbreak in Africa has killed 5,376 people, according to figures from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The Democratic Republic of the Congo accounts for 5,372 of the reported deaths, while Kenya and Uganda have each recorded two deaths. The Bundibugyo strain linked to the outbreak has infected approximately 10,444 people across the three countries, with a reported death rate of more than 50 percent.

DRC remains outbreak epicentre

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the epicentre of the outbreak and declared its 17th and largest Ebola outbreak in mid-May.

The strain has spread beyond the DRC to neighbouring Uganda and Kenya. Uganda recorded 20 cases, most involving people who had travelled from the DRC, before being declared Ebola-free in August.

Kenya reported nine infections and two deaths in October. The cases were described as the country’s first recorded Ebola cases.

Cases reported outside the main outbreak area

Nigerian health authorities said two suspected Ebola cases in the country’s northeast tested negative after two rounds of testing. Nigeria reported its first imported Ebola case in October and has recorded no deaths.

France also reported one case in July involving a health worker returning from the DRC.

No approved vaccine for Bundibugyo strain

There are no approved treatments or vaccines for the rare Bundibugyo strain. Clinical trials have begun with the Ervebo vaccine, which has proved effective against the more common Zaire strain.

The latest figures highlight the continued cross-border reach of the outbreak, with the largest share of reported deaths remaining concentrated in the DRC.