2,000 people in Congo died this year of Ebola, according to health ministry

The Congolese government has vowed to increase the number of specialized doctors to tackle the spark in Ebola-related deaths.

Courtesy of the Associate Press

This month alone 203 people were confirmed to have Ebola--bringing the number of total cases, as of August 1st, 2018, to 2,997-- in which 2,000 people have died from. According to the World Health Organization, this is the world's second-largest outbreak. The worst outbreak on record is said to be the 2014-2016 epidemic which led to the death of 11,325 people.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has promised to send 30 experts on the ground by September 1st to tackle the epidemic. 

“CDC is prepared for a long-term public health response in DRC and its neighboring countries, and we agree with our WHO colleagues about the need for a change in the response to bring this outbreak to an end,” said Dr. Robert R. Redfield, CDC director, in a news release.

The outbreak is already spreading to neighboring countries. Today, Uganda's Ministry of Health said a 9-year-old girl from Congo, suffering from Ebola, traveled to Uganda with her mother looking for medical help.

Congolese officials say fighting between local rebel groups in the epicenter of the epidemic, North Kivu province, is hampering their efforts to eradicate the virus from the country. By: Niza Nondo