Ebola.
(Image credit: Junior D. Kannah / Getty Images)

The death toll from an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo reached 994 on Friday, the World Health Organization reported. The epidemic is expected to exceed 1,000 deaths by the end of the day, marking a grim milestone since the virus began spreading last summer, reports Reuters.

The WHO is working to expand vaccinations by using an unlicensed vaccine as another "tool in the toolbox," said Michael Ryan, director of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme. "We are anticipating a scenario of continued intense transmission." There were 27 new Ebola cases confirmed in the DRC on Sunday alone, a new single-day high, and 1,429 confirmed cases in total, reports CNN. The epidemic is the second deadliest in history, and has been exacerbated by violence in the country.

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Summer Meza, The Week US

Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.