The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has risen above 9,000, according to government data released Tuesday. Congo's public health institute reported 9,066 confirmed cases and 4,381 deaths from the ongoing outbreak.
The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, was declared in May and has become the largest and deadliest in Congo's history, surpassing the 2018-2020 epidemic. The Bundibugyo strain currently has no approved vaccines or treatments available.
Globally, the current outbreak ranks second only to the 2014-2016 West African epidemic, which infected over 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organization.
The outbreak has extended beyond Congo's borders. Uganda reported 20 cases and two deaths earlier in the year but was declared Ebola-free in August. Kenya confirmed its first imported case last week, involving a Kenyan national with travel history to affected areas.
Authorities have reported difficulty slowing transmission across multiple hotspots within the country. Response efforts continue as cases accumulate at a rate that has outpaced previous outbreaks in the region.