In brief
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ebola outbreak has claimed more than 5,000 lives, with over 10,000 people infected since it began in May. Cases have spread across eight provinces and have been exported to Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda. The outbreak remains the deadliest in the country’s history and containment efforts are still ineffective.
On Friday, government data released by the Democratic Republic of Congo, as reported by WAM, showed that the Ebola outbreak that began in May has surpassed 5,000 deaths.
The epidemic, declared in May, has infected more than 10,000 people and has affected eight of the nation’s 26 provinces.
Last week, Nigeria reported an Ebola case, making it the fourth African country to experience the disease and extending the outbreak’s reach into West Africa; Kenya and Uganda have also reported cases, spreading it into East Africa.
Many deaths have occurred outside treatment centers, according to the report.
Major American and foreign airlines urged the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to reconsider rules requiring all U.S.-bound travelers to attest they have not been in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the prior 21 days.
The outbreak remains the deadliest in the country’s history, and authorities say it has yet to find an effective containment method.
