More than 4,000 deaths recorded in DR Congo Ebola outbreak

More than 4,000 Ebola deaths have been recorded, authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) said as they struggle to contain the virus.

The latest health ministry figures show 4,018 people have died from among 8,300 confirmed cases in what has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.

The country announced an outbreak on 15 May, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no known treatment or vaccine.

The number of confirmed cases is dropping, but that could be attributed to insecurity and challenges in getting communities to cooperate in some hotspots, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention told a news conference.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has recently raised concerns over the rapid geographical spread of the virus into new health zones, stretching limited resources.

A Congolese politician was beaten to death earlier this week for defending government measures in dealing with the outbreak.

Marie-Celestin Karondwa, a local official with the DRC's ruling Union for Democracy and Social Progress party, was attacked on Sunday at his home in Butembo, an Ebola hotspot in the eastern North Kivu province.

His house was set on fire and he later died in hospital.

Widespread mistrust of health workers and the authorities has hampered efforts to slow the nation's 17th Ebola outbreak.

Last month, authorities launched a village-centered approach, but some residents have dismissed Ebola as a hoax.

There has also been a deep distrust in the country's government, because of how past Ebola outbreaks have been managed.

Clinical trials for the treatment of the rare Bundibugyo virus are currently ongoing in Ituri province, the epicentre of the outbreak.

Between 31 August and 20 September, cases dropped by 26% in Ituri province and 15% in Haut-Uele, said Dr Marie Roseline Belizaire, the WHO's regional emergency director for Africa.

But she warned transmission patterns vary widely and the outbreak is still uncontrolled.

"While cases and deaths are declining in some provinces, they continue to rise in others," she said.

"The outbreak is still not under control and remains spread across a wide geographic area."

The WHO warned in its latest situation report that there were "persistent challenges in timely case detection and access to early and adequate patient care".

It has also said the outbreak continues to outpace efforts to track and slow it, and is on track to exceed the deadliest on record - West Africa's regional outbreak between 2014 and 2016, which killed 11,000 people.

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Frontline workers in Ituri previously went on strike over unpaid wages, worsening access to care.

Another major challenge is the fatality rate among children, according to the WHO. Children under five have the highest case fatality rate - more than 60% compared with approximately 40% among adults, Dr Belizaire said.

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