Over 4,000 people have died from Ebola in Congo

More than 4,000 deaths have been recorded in the Ebola epidemic in Congo, authorities announced.

The latest data released today by the Ministry of Health show that 4,018 people have died, which accounts for nearly half of the 8,300 confirmed cases of Ebola, making it the fastest-growing outbreak in history.

On May 15, Congo declared an epidemic caused by the rare “Bundibugyo” virus, for which there is no known cure or vaccine.

A group of healthcare workers gathered in Bunia, the capital of the northeastern Ituri province, which is the epicenter of the epidemic.

They demanded payment of overdue wages, but the authorities quickly dispersed them.

Among the protesting workers were members of surveillance teams responsible for identifying people exposed to infected patients.

They carried banners reading: “No money, no data!” and “No payments for months”.

Field workers have gone on strike several times since the beginning of the epidemic, further complicating efforts to contain the disease.

A senior United Nations official stated that earlier this week, soldiers burned down a camp housing a transit center for infected patients while searching for weapons in Kigonze, on the outskirts of Bunia, forcing 19,000 people from the camp to flee.

“The enormous challenge of stopping the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has become even more difficult after a key transit center for patients in need of treatment burned down in Ituri province,” the United Nations announced.