DRC’s deadly Ebola outbreak began months before it was officially declared

• More than 2,000 people have now died in the Democratic Republic of Congo from the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.
• The World Health Organisation has revealed the outbreak actually began in February, months before being declared in May, allowing the virus to spread ahead of containment efforts.
• The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
• Response efforts have been severely hampered by local conflict, health worker strikes, widespread misinformation, and major cuts to international aid.
• Clinical trials are underway for potential treatments, including MBP134 and Remdesivir, as health officials urge for efforts to be urgently intensified.

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Ebola deaths surge past 2,000 as outbreak spread for months undetected