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Congo's Ebola outbreak has killed more than 4,000, government data shows
Authorities say nearly half of the confirmed cases have been fatal as mistrust, insecurity and spread into new health zones hinder containment.
Government data released Friday confirmed 4,018 deaths among 8,300 cases, pushing the death toll in The Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ebola outbreak past 4,000.
Driven by the rare Bundibugyo virus, this represents the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history, with no known treatment or vaccine available to stem the tide.
Tensions turned violent last Sunday when Marie-Célestin Karondwa, a local official with the Union for Democracy and Social Progress party, was killed in Butembo.
The World Health Organization reports that containment efforts are struggling as the virus spreads into new health zones, hampered by widespread mistrust among residents.
This 17th Ebola outbreak in the Central African nation is currently the second-deadliest in history, trailing the 2014-2016 West African Ebola epidemic that killed more than 11,000.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, more than 4000 people have died of Ebola, according to government reports. In addition, there are now 8,300 confirmed cases of infection in seven provinces, the government announced on Friday.