The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has spread to a sixth province, with a death recorded in the previously unaffected Bas-Uele province. Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya reported that the man had traveled from Isiro in Haut-Uele province to Buta, the capital of Bas-Uele, where he died. Health authorities have expressed fears of wider transmission from multiple exposures before and after the patient's death.
The epidemic is spreading faster than any previous Ebola outbreak and is already the deadliest in the country's history. Jean-Jacques Muyembe noted that in just three months, the death toll has nearly reached that of the 2018 epidemic, which took 22 months to reach similar levels.
World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the outbreak is on track to eclipse the 2014 to 2016 West African outbreak, which killed more than 11,000 people. If it continues at its current pace, it could surpass the deadliest outbreak in history.
The current crisis is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus. Health officials state that there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments available for this specific virus.