Africa's Ebola outbreak tops 10,000 cases, mainly in DR Congo

Africa's outbreak of the Ebola virus has passed more than 10,000 cases, health authorities said Tuesday, with the vast majority located in Democratic Republic of Congo. There are currently no approved vaccines for the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola driving the current infections.

Africa'slatest outbreak of Ebolahas passed 10,000 confirmed cases, the vast majority of them in theDemocratic Republic of Congo, the Congolese health authorities said on Tuesday.

According to the DRC's figures, 10,060 people have been infected and 4,887 have died since theviruswas first detected in May in the vast central African country's deadliest outbreak in its history.

Cases have likewise been detected inKenya,NigeriaandUganda, with theWorld Health Organizationwarning that Africa faces a "complex" task to contain an outbreak spanning the east, west and centre of the continent.

Among the many challenges facing the response is the lack of any approved vaccines or treatments for the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola behind theepidemic.

Read moreNigeria records first Ebola case as outbreak spreads across Africa

After recording a total of 20 cases and two deaths, neighbouringUgandawas declared Ebola-free by theWHOin late August.

Kenya, which had not reported a single case of the contagious virus until October 6, has likewise suffered two deaths from the virus.

The only case so far confirmed inNigeria, a Swiss woman who contracted the virus following a trip to Uganda with her husband, was evacuated back to the Alpine nation on Monday.

Fifty-three of the patient's contacts have been identified by the Nigerian health authorities, in a bid to stop the virus spreading across Africa's most populous nation.

Some experts are worried that the virus – caught through contact with bodily fluids – could have spread after the Swiss couple landed back in Nigeria on October 3.

The WHO said the patient developed symptoms on October 7, sought care in Abuja on October 11, then tested positive for Bundibugyo on October 20.

Based on reporting by FRANCE24