Ebola Continues to Spread in DRC

The outbreak of Ebola virus disease in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) continues to pick up speed.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there have been 298 total cases and 186 deaths as of November 3.

The aid response is being hampered by violence within the outbreak zone, particularly in and around the city of Beni, where most rebel attacks have been concentrated. Recent data from WHO showed a spike in cases in mid-October and then a lull over the second half of the month. However, the report warns that this is likely down to coverage gaps due to the inaccessibility of certain areas. In other words: the true extent of the outbreak could be far worse than is presently believed.