The World Health Organization has warned that the Ebola virus is spreading through the Democratic Republic of Congo faster than during any previous outbreak. Government data shows confirmed cases have reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, while other reports record more than 2,000 cases and 796 deaths in just two months. Authorities describe this as the fastest-growing outbreak on record.
Efforts to contain the epidemic are being complicated by ongoing conflict in the country and the lack of an approved vaccine for the virus strain. The WHO has described the situation as the fastest-growing outbreak it has managed.
According to the WHO, 80 percent of new Ebola cases in eastern Congo are emerging from unknown chains of transmission. This is a sign that the virus is spreading faster than health officials can track.