Ebola Outbreak

Ebola Outbreak Not Peaking – Could Triple

The Ebola virus outbreak in Congo-Kinshasa, which is spreading faster than any previous outbreak, has not yet peaked. In fact, the outbreak could be three times as large as it is now, data from Africa's largest health agency shows, according to the AP.

If the trend continues on the same path, the death toll will surpass the deadliest outbreak ever, between 2014 and 2016. More than 11,000 people lost their lives.

Only about 30-40 percent of all cases are estimated to have been reported. 

16,000 doses of vaccine may offer some protection against Ebola

More than 16,000 doses of the Ebola vaccine have arrived in Congo-Kinshasa, where an outbreak of the Bundibugyo variant of Ebola has claimed more than 2,500 lives. The AP reports.

There is no vaccine yet for Bundibugyo. The Ervebo vaccine has been approved to treat the Zaire variant of Ebola and has been effective in previous outbreaks. According to the WHO, it may offer some protection against the Bundibugyo outbreak.

The doses will primarily go to health workers.

This week, the WHO and its partners pledged to send 70,000 doses of the vaccine to Congo-Kinshasa. More doses are expected to arrive early next week.