Ebola spreads – 60 areas affected

 

TT-AP

Published 13.47

          
          A campaign to spread knowledge about the Ebola outbreak is underway on Friday in the province              of  North Kivu, where the virus has now spread. Photo: Sebastien Kitsa Musayi /AP/TT

The fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has spread to two new areas in Congo-Kinshasa.

This means that 60 so-called health zones in the country are affected, according to the latest figures from the government. The two new zones are located in the province of North Kivu – where the mortality rate is much higher than average, partly due to delayed interventions.

The virus has so far claimed the lives of nearly 2,800 people and around 5,800 have been confirmed infected.

The ongoing outbreak, caused by the unusual variant bundibugyo, has infected and killed people at a faster rate than any previously known Ebola outbreak. Compared to the largest outbreak to date, in West Africa in 2014–2016, the feared disease is now spreading three times faster.