Ebola outbreak kills 1,500 in record time; no vaccine available

BUNIA, Congo (AP) — The fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history has killed more than 1,500 people in eastern Congo, officials said Thursday. The death toll jumped 50% in about a week, showing that the disease is spreading faster than health workers can stop it. As of Tuesday, Congo’s government reported 3,442 cases and 1,521 deaths since the outbreak was declared on May 15. Unlike most previous Ebola outbreaks, this one is caused by the Bundibugyo virus. There are no approved vaccines or treatments for this strain. This outbreak has killed more people at a faster rate than any other, including the 2014-2016 epidemic that killed over 11,000 people. That earlier outbreak took about eight months to reach 1,000 deaths. Ebola is rare but highly contagious. People catch it through contact with bodily fluids such as vomit, blood, or semen. The disease is severe and often fatal.