Ebola cases in DR Congo cross 8,000 as EU, US pledge further financial support

The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo has surpassed 8,000, according to government data released on Monday and reported by Reuters.

The country's public health institute also said 3,901 people had died in the outbreak.

Caused by the Bundibugyo strain, the current Ebola epidemic has become the largest and the deadliest in the history of the DRC.

There is currently no approved vaccines or treatments for the Bundibugyo species, but the World Health Organization (WHO) said earlier this month that trials for three potential vaccines against the strain should begin by October or November.

The DRC, backed by WHO and Doctors Without Borders, also launched a test vaccination programme this month to see if jabs designed for a different strain of the virus could prove effective in this case.

Meanwhile, several international partners announced further financial help to the DRC, on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly last week.

On Saturday, the European Union announced a €7.5 million aid package to the country, "to support the response to the Ebola crisis".

In a statement, the European Commission said the funding would also help "increase preparedness, response and health surveillance capacity in the long-term".

This aid is part of a wider EU pledge of €710 million euros to support displaced people across Africa, and provide global crisis relief.

On Wednesday, the United States also announced the release of an additional $267 million to support the fight against the ongoing epidemic.