An Ebola outbreak that began spreading in the Democratic Republic of Congo in May has become the country's deadliest since the virus was first identified there in 1976. Health officials now report more than 4,500 deaths, and the outbreak has reached an eighth province.
The situation has also crossed borders. Kenyan health officials have confirmed eight cases, including a patient who tested positive while already in quarantine, a sign that containment measures are catching at least some cases early even as the virus continues to move. Congo has battled repeated Ebola outbreaks over the past decade, and international health agencies and aid groups have poured resources into response efforts including treatment centers, contact tracing, and vaccination campaigns.
Adding to the difficulty, Congolese authorities say they cannot account for more than 700 million dollars that was meant to fund the Ebola response, based on financial reports submitted by aid organizations. Officials have launched an investigation and say they are demanding answers from the groups involved about where the money went.
The combination of a worsening death toll, cross-border spread, and unresolved questions about funding has raised the stakes for the response in the weeks ahead, as health workers try to reach communities in newly affected provinces before the outbreak grows further.
Watch for whether the investigation into the missing Ebola funds identifies where the money went, and whether Kenya reports further cases beyond its initial eight.
Is this the first time Ebola has spread from Congo to Kenya?
Kenya has now confirmed cases tied to this outbreak, with authorities saying one patient tested positive while already in quarantine.