DR Congo Ebola Deaths Reach 506 as Some Areas Report No New Cases and Trial of Treatments Begins

The death toll from the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reached at least 506 as of July 4, with 1,561 confirmed cases recorded, according to a World Health Organization situation report based on data from Congolese health authorities.

The current outbreak, the country's 17th, was declared on May 15 and is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, for which no vaccine or approved treatment exists. A clinical trial of two experimental treatments for the Bundibugyo strain began on Thursday.

The World Health Organization-sponsored trial is testing the monoclonal antibody cocktail MBP134 and the antiviral remdesivir alongside optimized supportive care. The WHO also granted emergency use authorization for the first molecular diagnostic test for the virus. Officials have not identified the outbreak's patient zero and must still trace possibly tens of thousands of contacts.

The first month of the epidemic was the worst on record for the country, the WHO stated. In the mining town of Mongbwalu in Ituri province, the case fatality rate stands at 50.7 percent. Front-line health workers in Ituri province have threatened to strike on Monday over unpaid benefits and poor working conditions.

A notice seen by the AP news agency said workers have received no benefits since the outbreak began, lack adequate supplies, and face low salaries along with what they described as arrogance from teams sent from Kinshasa and excessive use of labor from other provinces. In North Kivu province the mortality rate is 57.4 percent. In South Kivu province no cases have been confirmed since May 26.

Health authorities in areas controlled by the M23 armed group announced last week that the epidemic had been eradicated in those territories. In neighboring Uganda the toll stands at two deaths and 20 confirmed cases.