The death toll from the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ebola outbreak has passed 5,000, according to government figures released on Saturday, making it the second-deadliest Ebola outbreak ever recorded. The health ministry data put deaths at 5,026 out of 10,351 infections, a fatality rate of close to half. The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain, was declared in mid-May and has now spread across eight of the country's 26 provinces, reaching 67 of its 178 health zones.

Why containment is falling behind

Health officials say the response is struggling to keep pace with transmission. About four-fifths of new infections are being found among people who were not previously identified as contacts of a confirmed patient, far below the level at which contact tracing is considered effective. A third of recorded deaths happened outside treatment centres, before patients were tested, according to the World Health Organization. There is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain, although a vaccine trial began in late October, and 2,788 patients have recovered so far.

Spread beyond Congo's borders

The outbreak is no longer confined to Congo. Kenya has confirmed eight cases and two deaths, while Nigeria's single confirmed case was evacuated to Switzerland. The eastern provinces of Ituri and North Kivu remain the hardest hit, accounting for the large majority of cases and deaths. Only the 2014–2016 West Africa epidemic, which killed about 11,000 people, has claimed more lives, and officials warn that without faster tracing and wider access to affected communities, the toll will keep rising.