DR Congo's Ebola Outbreak Becomes World's Second Largest on Record

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has recorded the world's second-largest Ebola outbreak, with confirmed infections rising to 3,532, according to government health authorities.

Officials say the epidemic is spreading faster than any previous Ebola outbreak in the country's history. The death toll has reached 1,556, while more than 800 patients remain in isolation or hospital care. At least 626 people have recovered.

United Nations World Food Programme acting chief Carl Skau warned that the crisis requires far greater international attention, describing it as the fastest-spreading Ebola epidemic ever recorded.

Health experts say the outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

Medical teams continue to face major challenges, including insecurity, attacks on health facilities, shortages of funding, and widespread misinformation that has led some residents to seek treatment from traditional healers instead of health centres.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the true number of infections could be significantly higher than official figures, while the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) estimates that about $1.4 billion will be needed to contain the outbreak.

The virus has spread across five provinces in eastern DR Congo: Haut-Uele, Ituri, North Kivu, South Kivu, and Tshopo. Health authorities are urging stronger international support to prevent further spread of the disease.

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