Ebola Death Toll Hits 600 in DR Congo as WHO Backs Trial of Experimental Treatments
Oluwatobi Adu 
ABUJA, Nigeria – The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has claimed 600 lives, as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the disease and evaluate experimental treatments against the rare virus strain fuelling the epidemic.
The latest figures were released on Thursday by the World Health Organization (WHO) based on data from Congolese health authorities.
According to the WHO, the DRC has recorded 1,759 confirmed Ebola cases since the outbreak was declared in mid-May, with 600 confirmed deaths, representing a case fatality rate of about 34 per cent.
The agency said 285 patients have recovered, while 304 suspected cases remain under investigation.
The outbreak has also spread beyond the DRC, with neighbouring Uganda reporting 20 confirmed infections, including two deaths and 17 recoveries.
Although infections have been recorded in four northeastern provinces, Ituri Province remains the epicenter of the outbreak.
Health experts said the current epidemic is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rare variant for which there are currently no approved vaccines or licensed treatments.
To strengthen treatment options, Congolese authorities on July 2 launched a clinical trial evaluating two experimental therapies—the monoclonal antibody MBP134 and the antiviral drug remdesivir—both individually and in combination.
The WHO said Ebola is a highly infectious viral disease transmitted through direct contact with the bodily fluids of infected individuals or contaminated materials, making rapid detection, isolation, contact tracing and infection prevention measures critical to controlling transmission.
The DRC declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15 following several deaths in Ituri Province, a region affected by years of armed conflict and insecurity that continue to hamper emergency response operations.
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Korede Abdullah 
