The Ebola outbreak is breaking records -- and just marked a grim milestone

Marie Bakikula, a caregiver at a UNICEF-supported nursery in Mongbwalu in the Democratic Republic of Congo, works at an emergency nursery for Ebola orphans.Marie Ruwet/AFP/via Getty Images hide caption The fastest spreading Ebola outbreak in history has surpassed another grim milestone.

More than 10,000 people have been infected since the outbreak was first declared in May, according to the latest government figures from the Democratic Republic of Congo."It's a milestone that we're all surprised to be passing this quickly," says Katie Thomas-Canfield, interim Ebola response director for the International Rescue Committee."10,000 people affected by Ebola in such a short period is really staggering," she says, noting that at this point in the West Africa outbreak of 2014-2016, only about 4,000 people had been infected.

But that earlier outbreak still has the highest case count — more than 28,000 cases.The current outbreak is also the largest ever in geographic scope, spanning Nigeria to Kenya.It is second in the death toll, with nearly 5,000 deaths compared to the previous toll of over 11,000.About a third of those who've died in this outbreak have been kids.

Children under 5, with their developing immune systems, are hit especially hard — roughly three out of four infected have died."Behind every figure is a life interrupted, a family mourning, a health worker under pressure and a community seeking reassurance," said Mohamed Janabi, regional director for the World Health Organization Africa, at a press conference last week."We must reach people earlier, bring safe care closer, and strengthen trust before fear becomes a barrier to survival." A woman mourns the loss of a relative suspected of having died from Ebola.

Jospin Mwisha/AFP/via Getty Images ...