Surge of Suspected Ebola Deaths Suggests Fast Spread

A spike in deaths at a crowded camp in eastern Congo has authorities worried Ebola is moving faster than they can track it. At least 30 people have died since early May in the Kigonze camp outside Bunia—far above the usual one to three deaths a month—with many showing symptoms consistent with Ebola, camp leaders and aid workers tell Reuters. But families have largely been refusing post-mortem testing, meaning the true cause of the deaths remains unconfirmed.

The camp, home to more than 15,000 displaced people, sits in the heart of Congo's current Ebola outbreak, which was officially declared May 15. Aid officials warn the surge in deaths, combined with deep mistrust of health workers and deteriorating sanitation—overflowing latrines, scarce clean water—could allow Ebola to spread largely unseen among the country's more than 5 million displaced people. Donor cuts, including reductions in US-funded water and hygiene projects, have sharply reduced access to toilets and taps in Ebola-hit provinces.

By official stats, the current outbreak has 894 confirmed cases and more than 200 deaths so far, according to Africa's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. The AP offers some context: That is three times worse than a previous outbreak in Uganda in 2000 but nowhere near a 2014 outbreak blamed for more than 11,000 deaths.