Fear is gripping eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as the suspected death toll from an Ebola outbreak climbs past 130. Health officials admit they are struggling to catch up to a virus that may have been spreading undetected for weeks.
"Ebola has tortured us," said a taxi rider in the gold-mining town of Rwampara. "I am scared because people are dying very fast."
Health Minister Dr Samuel Roger Kamba acknowledged health teams are playing catch-up. The presumed first case is a nurse who died in Bunia but was buried in Mongwalu, now the epicenter. As of Tuesday, officials report 513 suspected cases and at least 136 deaths, with one death in neighboring Uganda.
This outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has caused only two previous outbreaks. Its symptoms can be less obvious than the Zaire strain, delaying diagnosis. Some deaths were attributed to witchcraft, locally called the "coffin phenomenon."
Cases have been identified in Bunia, Butembo, Goma, and South Kivu. None of the affected cities has a fully operational Ebola treatment center. In Goma, residents say public health measures like avoiding handshakes are widely ignored. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. The US has announced $13 million in emergency assistance. An American doctor, Dr Peter Stafford, is among the infected.