Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo: 42 Dead, WHO Initiates Vaccination

The latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has claimed 42 lives out of 64 confirmed cases, according to the World Health Organization. The outbreak, declared in early September, prompted health authorities to start a vaccination program two weeks ago to contain the virus.

This outbreak is the deadliest in the DRC since 2018-2020, with nearly 100 million people at risk due to factors like lack of protective equipment, weak contact tracing, and unsafe burial practices. The mortality rate of this Ebola strain is at 64%, and efforts are being made to curb its spread, including the approval of extra vaccine doses by the International Coordination Group on Vaccine Supply.