In the forests and cities of northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, a virus older than its recognition is rewriting records. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola — for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists — has now claimed nearly 3,000 confirmed lives among more than 6,000 known cases, surpassing every previous outbreak in the country's history. What began undetected as early as February has become a test not only of a health system's capacity, but of humanity's ability to respond to a pathogen that moved faster than the systems designed to catch it.
DR Congo Ebola outbreak surpasses 6,000 cases, becomes nation's worst epidemic
2911 deaths confirmed among 6041 infected cases, with experts estimating significantly higher unreported mortality.