The Ebola epidemic currently raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo could last at least another year, a leading UK epidemiologist has warned.

Experts have struggled to contain the current outbreak since the first cases of the rare Bundibugyo strain of the disease were reported in May.

There have so far been almost 11,000 cases including 5,000 deaths, making it the second largest outbreak in history , after the devastating West Africa epidemic of 2014-16. Cases have also been reported in Nigeria and Kenya, although transmission has not been widespread.

The outbreak is taking place across a vast area of DRC - North Kivu and Ituri - where conflict and widespread mistrust of authorities, including health workers, have hampered the response.

Neil Ferguson, professor of epidemiology at Imperial College, London, told a press briefing that at the current rate of disease spread that the epidemic could still be ongoing at the end of next year.

“Controlling Ebola outbreaks takes a long time so it is highly…