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More than 3,000 people have died from Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with the World Health Organisation (WHO) preparing vaccine trials.
The latest figures released by the Congolese National Institute of Public Health on Wednesday showed 6,186 confirmed cases and 3,007 deaths.
The outbreak has recorded a fatality rate of 48.6 percent, while 1,409 people have reportedly recovered.
The outbreak was declared in Ituri Province on May 15 and has spread to six provinces.
The affected areas face insecurity and limited government presence due to armed groups, making the health response more difficult.
The WHO estimates that about 60 percent of Ebola deaths occur outside treatment centres, highlighting challenges in detecting cases early.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments.
The WHO said trials of three potential vaccines could begin by October or November.
“Two new vaccines against Bundibugyo virus are now in safety trials in the UK and Canada,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva.
The WHO has also recommended a full-scale human trial of Ervebo, a vaccine approved for the more common Zaire strain, to determine whether it can protect against Bundibugyo Ebola.
Early data suggests Ervebo, manufactured by Merck, may provide some protection against the strain.
A batch of 16,250 Ervebo doses arrived in the DRC in July for frontline healthcare workers, with vaccination beginning shortly afterwards in Kisangani.
WHO vaccines chief Kate O’Brien said healthcare workers should receive the vaccine only as part of research to determine its effectiveness against the Bundibugyo strain.
The outbreak has been further complicated by insecurity and resistance from some communities, which have hampered efforts to identify and treat patients early.
