The Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 10,000 confirmed cases of Ebola, according to government data released Tuesday. The milestone highlights the rapid spread of the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which authorities declared in mid-May.

The latest figures from Congo's National Institute of Public Health show 10,060 infections and 4,887 deaths, with a fatality rate near 50 percent. More than 2,600 patients have recovered. The outbreak has affected eight provinces and 66 health zones, primarily in Ituri and North Kivu provinces.

This marks the largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak in Congo's history, surpassing the 2018-2020 epidemic. It ranks as the second-largest and second-deadliest on record globally, behind only the 2014-2016 West African outbreak that infected over 28,600 people.

Cases have spread beyond Congo's borders. Kenya confirmed nine cases and two deaths earlier this month, linked to travel from Congo via Uganda. Nigeria reported its first case on October 20 involving a Swiss woman who had traveled from Uganda. Uganda recorded 20 cases earlier in the year but was declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization in August.

Health officials face significant hurdles. No approved vaccine or treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain. Ongoing armed conflict in affected areas, poor infrastructure, and community mistrust fueled by misinformation have complicated containment efforts. Many new cases occur outside known transmission chains, and roughly half of deaths happen outside treatment centers.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has emphasized the need for stronger coordination to bring the outbreak under control. About 80 percent of recent cases come from unmonitored contacts, far below the 95 percent threshold needed for containment.

The World Health Organization has warned that containing the spread across multiple African countries presents a complex challenge. Response teams continue efforts to isolate patients and trace contacts amid the geographic expansion.