DR Congo Ebola outbreak death toll passes 5,000

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 5,000, government data showed on Friday, as authorities had yet to find a way to control the country’s deadliest Ebola epidemic on record.

There are no approved treatments or vaccines to combat the rare Bundibugyo species, which is behind the outbreak in the Central African country.

It has infected more than 10,000 people since it was declared in May.

Delayed detection, conflict and strained health services have helped the virus spread more rapidly than in previous outbreaks.

Eight of DR Congo’s 26 provinces have been affected, with many deaths occurring outside treatment centres.

This year’s outbreak is the world’s second-largest ever, behind only the 2014-2016 one that infected over 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000 across ​Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Last week Nigeria became the fourth African country to report an Ebola case, extending the outbreak’s geographic spread to West Africa. East African countries Kenya and Uganda have also reported cases.