Ebola has claimed more than 1,500 lives in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in what is being described as the fastest-growing outbreak of the disease, government data released Thursday indicated. As of Tuesday, authorities reported 3,442 confirmed cases and 1,521 deaths, marking a roughly 50 percent increase over the previous week. The rise partly reflects a backlog of unconfirmed cases and fatalities, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

The outbreak, declared on May 15, is linked to the Bundibugyo virus strain of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or specific treatments. Challenges such as delays in contact tracing, difficulty accessing affected areas, mistrust within communities, and violence by armed groups and some local residents have hindered containment and response measures, Africa CDC officials said.

The majority of cases are concentrated in Ituri province in eastern Congo, accounting for nearly 90 percent of confirmed infections. However, cases have also been confirmed in five other provinces, including Kisangani, one of the country's largest cities. Neighboring Uganda recently declared itself free of Ebola after discharging its last patient in mid-June.

Ebola virus disease is highly contagious and can be transmitted through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen. It is known for causing severe symptoms and has a high fatality rate. Africa CDC Director-General Dr. Jean Kaseya noted that 63 percent of deaths confirmed over the past two weeks occurred outside of treatment centers. This is largely attributed to unsafe handling of infected bodies, often linked to traditional burial practices involving direct contact with the deceased, which elevate the risk of transmission.

Health authorities’ restrictions on such funerals, combined with widespread misinformation denying the existence of the virus, have led to community anger and occasional attacks on healthcare facilities. On July 15, for example, an attack on a hospital and treatment center in the Nyakunde health zone of Ituri forced international partners, including teams from Africa CDC and Mercy Corps, to temporarily withdraw. This evacuation disrupted surveillance, contact tracing, and supply chains critical to the response.

Désiré Duabo, chief medical officer of the Nyakunde zone, warned that much of the equipment and supplies had been provided by foreign aid groups and that local stocks were nearly depleted. Pierre Akilimali, incident manager for the National Public Health Institute’s Ebola response, emphasized that healthcare workers face not only infection risks but also threats to their personal safety, complicating their efforts on the ground.

Local officials reported that security conditions have improved and urged international responders to return. Africa CDC indicated the possibility of redeploying teams as early as next week.

This outbreak has surpassed previous outbreaks in terms of both the speed and scale of fatalities. The 2014-2016 West Africa epidemic, considered the most devastating to date, recorded around 28,000 cases and 11,000 deaths, but it took approximately eight months to reach 1,000 deaths.

The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains that the global risk of spread remains low, as Ebola is not airborne and requires close contact for transmission. Cases identified outside the affected region have been swiftly contained without leading to sustained transmission. However, WHO cautions that the risk of further spread within Congo remains very high due to ongoing challenges in controlling the outbreak.