Aid workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo face a double threat in their fight against the Ebola outbreak: the rare Bundibugyo type of the virus and the anger and suspicion of residents.
Volunteer Vanny Birungi, with the Red Cross, has been pelted with stones and verbal abuse while trying to raise awareness about the outbreak, which has nearly 1,000 suspected cases.
Trust is hard to find among the traumatized population, who are wary of outsiders and have been under threat of armed groups that have killed thousands of people and displaced many more in recent years.
Health centers have been attacked three times in the past week, and experts say the outbreak is spreading rapidly due to a lack of surveillance and aid cuts.
The World Health Organization believes a family of fruit bats is the natural host of the Ebola virus, but some people don't believe the virus exists or are skeptical about its origins.
Anger is amplified as virus prevention practices keep loved ones from handling bodies in final rites, and experts say healthcare workers and family members face the highest risk of infection.
Armed conflict in the region poses another challenge, making it difficult for aid groups to travel and respond to the outbreak.
The outbreak has now surpassed 900 suspected cases and 220 suspected deaths, and experts say the country is playing catch-up with a very fast-moving epidemic.
