Congo’s Ebola infections cross 8,000, government says

The number ⁠of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo ⁠has risen above 8,000 for the first time in the Central African country’s ongoing outbreak, government data showed on Monday.

The latest situation report ⁠from ⁠the public health institute put the number of cases at 8,067 and deaths at 3,901.

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo ⁠species of Ebola, became the largest and deadliest in Congo’s history after surpassing the 2018-2020 epidemic.

It is second only ⁠to ‌the ‌2014-2016 West African ⁠outbreak, which ‌infected over 28,600 people and killed ⁠more than ⁠11,000 across Guinea, Liberia and ⁠Sierra Leone.