One in three people at the epicentre of the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) don't believe the virus is real – one of the many hurdles hampering efforts to contain the spread of cases.
The number of suspected deaths is at least 223, with the number of cases approaching 1,000, since the outbreak was declared on 15 May, although cases were likely spreading weeks before that. The military governor of Ituri province, the region at the centre of the outbreak, has likened the struggle to contain the spread of the virus as a "war," saying: "People in affected areas are not receiving enough food". He has called for a "swift response", including strengthening the capacity of staff to prevent Ituri "descending into catastrophe".
