The death toll from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has risen above 5,000, according to government data. It is the deadliest outbreak of the virus the country has recorded, and authorities have not yet found a way to control it. The latest figure was announced on Friday.
More than 10,000 people have been infected since the outbreak was declared in May. No approved treatments or vaccines exist for the rare Bundibugyo strain driving the epidemic.
Virus spreads across DRC provinces and into neighbouring nations
Delayed detection, conflict and strained health services have allowed the virus to spread faster than in past outbreaks. It has reached eight of the DRC’s 26 provinces so far. Last week, Nigeria became the fourth African country to report a case, extending the spread into West Africa, while Kenya and Uganda have also reported cases.
Also read: WHO starts Ebola vaccine trial in DR Congo outbreak
This year’s outbreak is the second-largest Ebola epidemic on record, behind only the 2014-2016 epidemic. That one infected more than 28,600 people and killed over 11,000 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Saudi Arabia suspends travel to and entry from Kenya
Some governments have restricted travel to affected countries or quarantined travellers who recently visited or passed through them. On Friday, Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and entry from Kenya, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The measures include a ban on Saudi citizens travelling to Kenya and a pause on issuing all types of visas to travellers from the country. The kingdom is also barring arrivals from Kenya, including transit passengers who stayed in Kenya or other Ebola-affected countries within the previous 21 days. In June, Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and entry from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.
