The Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ebola epidemic has crossed 2,500 deaths from 5,208 confirmed cases, the National Institute of Public Health reported, after earlier tallies placed the toll below 2,400. Half of all fatalities were recorded in just the past 20 days, underscoring what UN Ebola coordinator Julien Harneis described as exponential spread across an area larger than France.
Security violence continues to erode the response. Eddy Kambale, deputy coordinator for Médecins Sans Frontières, reported attacks on treatment centres that have forced symptomatic and confirmed patients to flee into communities. Harneis condemned the assaults as unacceptable and warned of spillover into neighbouring countries.
The outbreak, driven by the Bundibugyo strain for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists, has orphaned at least 180 children since May. The UN cautions that emergency funding could be exhausted within weeks.