The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo continues to escalate, with confirmed cases climbing to more than 1,500 and at least 473 people dead, according to government figures.

Infections have been recorded across the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu, as health authorities race to contain the spread of the virus.

The Bundibugyo strain has posed a particular challenge, spreading undetected for weeks while officials were testing for the more common Zaire strain. It currently has no approved vaccine or treatment.

But there is renewed hope after clinical trials began this week for what researchers believe could become the first effective treatment for the virus, offering a potential breakthrough as the country battles one of its deadliest health emergencies.