DR Congo Ebola Death Toll Passes 1,400 as Vaccine Trials Begin

The Democratic Republic of Congo has reported 3,200 confirmed Ebola infections since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, with health authorities confirming 1,405 deaths, a case-fatality ratio of about 44%. Nearly nine-tenths of the cases have occurred in the Ituri province in the northeast, near the borders with Uganda and South Sudan, according to the World Health Organization.

Officials said the rise in reported cases reflects expanded testing and improved detection, though they acknowledge that many infections may remain unrecorded. The disease, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, has spread to five provinces in the country’s eastern region.

Health-worker strikes over unpaid wages have disrupted response efforts in some hospitals, and experts warn the epidemic could persist for several months. It is the 17th Ebola outbreak recorded in the nation.

The United Kingdom’s Oxford University announced that the first volunteer has received an experimental vaccine specifically designed to protect against the Bundibugyo strain. Additional vaccine candidates are slated for accelerated clinical trials, and researchers are also working on two potential therapeutic agents.

Ebola spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals and can cause severe hemorrhagic fever. Over the past five decades, more than 15,000 people have died from Ebola across Africa.