Kampala, Uganda - The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to accelerate one month after its declaration, surpassing 800 confirmed cases. The World Health Organization warns the virus is increasing its geographic spread, with experts racing to contain a potential health crisis.
In Ituri province, security forces fired warning shots to disperse a crowd attempting to reclaim a victim's body, which health workers were removing due to its high contagion risk.
WHO Incident Manager Dr. Marie-Roseline Belizaire stated community deaths indicate undetected spread: "One month after the outbreak has been declared, I'm still feeling concerned. That means we are missing cases." Contact tracing remains incomplete, with approximately 3,000 potential contacts still unaccounted for in Congo.
In Uganda, authorities are in a defensive posture. All arriving passengers, including CBS News personnel, are required to declare their exposure history. Despite an officially closed border, people move freely across the nearly 500-mile frontier.
"Putting a tight ribbon, or a no-stop movement on the porous borders is almost impossible, it's like stopping wind from blowing," said Dr. Daniel Kyabayinze, Uganda's National Director of Public Health.
Nineteen cases have been confirmed in Uganda, including two deaths, though officials report no new domestic cases in 11 days. Epidemiologists continue to intensely monitor the shared border with Congo, where cultural and family ties transcend official crossing points.