The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has reached 2,011, including 754 deaths, as healthcare workers in the epicenter of the outbreak began a strike over unpaid wages and inadequate working conditions.

Healthcare workers started a strike at Bunia General Hospital in the northeastern Ituri province on Wednesday, blocking the entrance to the hospital. They claimed they have received no compensation since the outbreak began, despite working under extremely difficult conditions.

The protests in Bunia follow other strikes in the region. Dozens of healthcare workers, including epidemiologists and grave diggers at Rwampara General Hospital, walked off their jobs on Monday, alleging they hadn’t been paid for months.

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) says this current outbreak is the third largest and fastest growing Ebola outbreak on record.

The World Health Organization warned on Tuesday that the official death toll might be two to four times higher than the officially recorded numbers.

The current Ebola outbreak started on May 15 and has been caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the virus, for which there is no vaccine or treatment.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the first clinical trial to test whether an antiviral drug can prevent infection in those exposed to the Bundibugyo virus launched on Tuesday.

Source: www.aljazeera.com