Ebola cases in Africa have now exceeded 10,000, with the vast majority recorded in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to figures released by the DRC Ministry of Public Health on Tuesday, confirmed cases now stand at 10,060, with 4,887 deaths since the outbreak was first declared in May.
The outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. Health authorities say it is now the fastest-growing and deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the DRC, and the second largest globally after the 2014-2016 West African epidemic that infected over 28,600 people.
About 80 percent of new infections are coming from outside known contact chains, a major challenge for containment. The Africa CDC says at least 95 percent of cases need to come from known contacts for an outbreak to be considered under control.
Cases have also been reported outside the DRC. Kenya has confirmed nine cases and two deaths since October 6, Nigeria confirmed one case, a Swiss woman evacuated to Switzerland on October 26 and Uganda, which had 20 cases earlier in the year, was declared Ebola free in August.
The WHO said it has begun clinical trials for a new vaccine and warned that containing an outbreak spanning east, west and central Africa remains a complex task.
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