Ebola Death Toll in DR Congo Passes 5,000, With More Than 10,000 Infected

The death toll from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has surpassed 5,000. The latest toll was announced on Friday, citing government data. Authorities say this is the country's deadliest Ebola outbreak on record, and they have yet to find a way to control it.

Ebola has infected more than 10,000 people in the DRC since the outbreak was declared in May. The numbers show how large the outbreak has become.

The rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus is responsible for the ongoing outbreak. There are no approved treatments or vaccines to combat this strain, according to the material.

Delayed detection, conflict and strained health services have helped the virus spread more rapidly than in past outbreaks. It has now reached eight of the DRC's 26 provinces.

The virus has also spread to neighbouring countries. 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.

This year's outbreak is described as the second-largest ever. It is behind only the 2014-2016 epidemic, which infected more than 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000 across Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Amid the spread, some governments have been restricting travel to affected countries or quarantining travellers who have recently visited or transited through them.

On Friday, Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and entry from Kenya, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The measures include suspending travel by Saudi citizens to Kenya and a pause on issuing all types of visas to travellers from the country.

The kingdom is also prohibiting entry to travellers arriving from Kenya, including those transiting through third countries who have stayed in Kenya or other Ebola-affected countries within the previous 21 days.

In June, Saudi Arabia suspended travel to and entry from the DRC, Uganda and South Sudan.