Congo’s Ebola outbreak has killed nearly 1,000 people

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — At least 999 people have died from the Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo, according to official data published overnight into Wednesday, a grim toll in what’s already been declared the fastest Ebola outbreak in history.

The latest update from Congo’s Ministry of Health shows that as of Sunday, 2,473 cases have been recorded in the latest outbreak, and 999 people have died.

The outbreak declared on May 15 is unlike most previous Ebola outbreaks because the Bundibugyo virus responsible for it has no approved vaccines or treatments.

It has also killed more people at a quicker rate than any outbreak on record, including the 2013-2016 outbreak that is considered the worst on record with over 11,000 deaths out of at least 28,000 cases. That outbreak took about eight months to reach 1,000 deaths.

Ebola is rare, but highly contagious and can be contracted via bodily fluids such as vomit, blood or semen. The disease it causes is severe and often fatal.