Ebola cases in Congo pass 7,000 as virus reaches seventh province

More than 7,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo now have confirmed Ebola, and 3,398 have died, the government said on Friday. The disease has also reached a seventh province, including its first case in the west. This is already the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in the country's history.

The first case in the west was a 23-year-old man. He left South Kivu province, travelled to Rwanda and Uganda, then came back into Congo and crossed several provinces before reaching Sud-Ubangi, a western province that borders Congo-Brazzaville and the Central African Republic. He developed a fever and began vomiting blood, so doctors were alerted. He died on Tuesday, and tests showed the Bundibugyo virus, a type of Ebola. "Our province borders Congo-Brazzaville and the Central African Republic. We fear it may spread regionally," said Jean-Jacques Mbungani, a local lawmaker and former health minister. Health workers are tracing his contacts, and 38 people have been quarantined, or kept away from others.

The Bundibugyo type has no approved vaccine or treatment. Ervebo, a vaccine for the more common Zaire type, does not give approved protection against Bundibugyo. Trials for a Bundibugyo vaccine are under way, and vaccinations in Ituri are expected to begin next week, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The World Health Organization says the response is short of trained staff, partners, and money, and armed conflict and a health workers' strike make it harder. In all, 7,022 cases have been confirmed, so this outbreak is now second only to the 2014-2016 West African epidemic, which infected more than 28,600 people and killed over 11,000.