Congo Ebola outbreak kills more than 5,000

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the 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. No approved treatments or vaccines can combat the rare Bundibugyo species 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 faster than ​in previous outbreaks. Eight of 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.