Congo Ebola outbreak kills more than 5,000

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed 5,026 people among 10,351 infected, according to the latest Congolese Ministry of Health data cited Saturday. The reported fatality rate is nearly 50%, and health officials say the outbreak is also challenging efforts to trace and contain transmission. The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo virus, was declared in mid-May. The report said 2,788 people had recovered. There is no known vaccine or treatment for the virus, so health workers treat patients based on their symptoms. The disease has spread to 67 of Congo’s 178 health zones across eight of its 26 provinces, with active cases in 50 zones. Ituri and North Kivu, in the east, account for 9,782 confirmed cases and 4,792 deaths, according to the reported figures. About 80% of new cases are coming from outside monitored chains of contacts, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimated. World Health Organization program area manager Patrick Otim said about one-third of recorded deaths were people who died outside treatment centers before being tested for Ebola. The figures point to difficulties identifying infections and getting people care...