Fastest growing Ebola outbreak on record spreads across eastern DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is facing the fastest growing Ebola outbreak ever recorded, with 3,360 confirmed cases and 1,487 deaths, according to Congolese health officials.

According to The Guardian, the outbreak has spread across five eastern provinces since it was declared on 15 May, with the Bundibugyo strain continuing to infect between 100 and 150 people each week in some areas.

Health officials said ongoing conflict, insecurity and high population density have made efforts to contain the virus more difficult.

Professor Pierre Akilimali, who leads the country's Ebola response, said: "Here in Ituri, we have the issues of insecurity, mining and high population density, which make the current outbreak more complex than previous ones."

"The public must also play their part by seeking medical advice at the slightest suspicion of infection. This will help us to respond effectively to the disease."

Dr Justus Nsio of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention told The Guardian: "All the experts monitoring this outbreak agree that it was detected too late. When detection is delayed, we have to work hard to make up for what we missed earlier in order to contain the disease."

According to The Guardian, clinical trials for a vaccine targeting the Bundibugyo strain began in July, while Uganda has sent health experts to support response efforts in border areas after declaring its own Ebola outbreak over.