The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading at a faster pace and killing more people than earlier phases, according to a report from China's state news agency Xinhua. The report, published Thursday, outlines why the current wave has become more difficult to contain.
The World Health Organization's chief has said the outbreak is on track to become the deadliest ever recorded, according to the BBC. Al Jazeera also reported that the WHO has warned the outbreak is set to become the worst on record. The outbreak has already killed roughly 2,000 people, Fox News reported, citing experts on what Americans should know about the disease.
Bloomberg reported that the outbreak is driving up maternal deaths, as pregnant women in Congo are avoiding hospitals out of fear of contracting the virus. This avoidance is leading to more complications and deaths during childbirth, according to the outlet.
Xinhua's explainer points to several factors behind the faster spread and higher death toll. These include challenges in reaching affected communities, delays in seeking treatment, and a lack of trust in health workers in some areas. The report does not provide specific numbers for the current case count or fatality rate.
The outbreak is occurring in a region of DR Congo that has seen repeated Ebola flare-ups, making it harder for health teams to build lasting trust with local populations. The WHO has previously noted that this is the country's largest and longest-running outbreak of the virus.
What to watch next: Whether international health agencies can slow the spread before the outbreak surpasses the deadliest Ebola epidemic on record, which killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa between 2014 and 2016.
