The Ebola virus is spreading rapidly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with cumulative confirmed cases surpassing 4,000. To date, 4,053 cases have been confirmed, and the death toll is approaching 1,850.

This outbreak has been attributed to the 'Bundibugyo ebolavirus,' which has a fatality rate of up to 50%. In particular, there are concerns that the scale of the damage could grow even larger because there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments for this virus.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) announced on the 5th that the number of Ebola patients is surging in the eastern region of the DRC. It was found that 90% of patients admitted to an MSF treatment facility in Bunia were not included in the contact list managed by health authorities. Contact tracing, which is central to epidemic control, is not being properly conducted, and the inability to identify the infection route for most patients is causing significant difficulties in the response.

Compared to the 2018 Zaire ebolavirus outbreak, the current Ebola outbreak is spreading at an overwhelmingly faster pace. At that time, it took 235 days to reach 1,000 confirmed cases, but this time, the number exceeded 1,000 in just 40 days. This means the transmission rate is six times faster.

While the first official report of the Ebola virus was on May 15, there are also suggestions that the spread may have actually begun as early as January. Local health authorities and international relief organizations are currently making all-out efforts to establish emergency response measures to prevent further casualties.