More than 4,000 deaths recorded in DR Congo Ebola outbreak

More than 4,000 lives have been claimed in the latest outbreak (AP)

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Ebola outbreak has now recorded more than 4,000 deaths, authorities said, as they struggle to contain the spread of the virus.

The latest figures from the health ministry show that 4,018 people have died from among 8,300 confirmed cases, making up for nearly half of the confirmed cases in what has become the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history.

DR Congo announced an outbreak on May 15, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which has no known treatment or vaccine.

The World Health Organisation has recently raised the alarm regarding the rapid geographical spread of the virus into new health zones, stretching limited resources.

Widespread mistrust of health workers and authorities’ handling of the outbreak has hampered efforts to slow the spread of the virus.

A local politician was beaten to death last month and attacks on health workers and other responders have been common as the Central African nation battles what is its 17th Ebola outbreak.

Authorities last month launched a village-centred approach to fight the outbreak but those efforts continue to face resistance from some residents who dismiss Ebola as a hoax amid a widespread distrust in the country’s government for various reasons, ranging from how it managed past Ebola outbreaks to chronic corruption.