Ebola deaths in DR Congo rise to 930 amid attacks on health workers | World News

The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has now claimed 930 lives, the country’s health ministry has said.

The deaths were recorded out of 2,344 cases as of Saturday, according to officials.

Thirty-seven new deaths were recorded in the previous 24 hours, one of the highest single-day totals.

The outbreak, which was declared in eastern Congo on 15 May, is the fastest-growing Ebola epidemic on record.

There is no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo virus, which is less common than others which cause Ebola disease.

And the surge in deaths comes as safety fears have restricted the response in the worst-affected province of Ituri.

At least 12 attacks have been recorded against health facilities and teams since the outbreak was declared, authorities said on Saturday.

Medical staff have also walked off their jobs in protest over lack of payments, while at least 36 health workers infected with the virus have died.

DRC’s Ministry of Health said in its latest update that 724 patients are in isolation and in hospitals, and that it is intensifying response efforts in affected health zones.

“Patient care and support capacities are consolidating, with 22 new recoveries recorded in 24 hours,” the ministry said.

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How bad could the Ebola outbreak get?

Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned last week that the virus was spreading faster than efforts to contain it.

“Every ‌delay costs lives,” said Trish Newport, MSF’s emergency programme manager. “We are still chasing the outbreak instead of staying ahead of it.”

So far, outside of the DRC, there have been 20 confirmed cases, with two deaths, in Uganda and one case in France.

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The uptick in deaths comes as a new vaccine to combat the strain spreading across the DRC will soon be tested on adults in the UK.

Scientists at the University of Oxford have been working to develop a jab to protect against the Bundibugyo strain, and now plan to assess its safety and immune response in 50 healthy adults aged 18 to 55.

Volunteers are being recruited for the trial, and vaccinations will begin in the coming weeks, pending regulatory approval.