Cracked coffin, funeral examined in hunt for Ebola's patient zero

Investigators are scrutinizing the funeral of a Congolese pastor in eastern Congo as a potential origin point for the current Ebola epidemic. The pastor's body was transported in a cracked coffin, and mourners touched the remains, creating a high-risk situation for spreading the virus.

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The investigators said the casket’s rocky journey preceded one of the earliest suspected super-spreader events: the February 4 funeral of the man inside the coffin, Pastor Paluku Makundi Denis.

The investigation into "patient zero" is examining the events surrounding the funeral of Pastor Paluku Makundi Denis on February 4. His body was driven for three hours in a wooden coffin, which cracked under the weight of relatives sitting on it. Upon arrival in the remote gold-mining town of Mongbwalu, the coffin was replaced, and residents touched the remains before the funeral. This practice is perilous if the pastor had Ebola, as victims' bodies are highly infectious.

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The broken coffin was only the beginning.

Within weeks of the funeral, dozens of deaths were recorded in the area. The original cracked coffin was mysteriously burned, fueling rumors of a curse. Health authorities are struggling to contain the epidemic of a rare Ebola strain, Bundibugyo, which has no vaccine or cure. The outbreak has caused at least 635 confirmed infections and 127 deaths, though officials warn the true toll may be higher. A surveillance epidemiologist estimated the strain had been circulating for four to six months before the outbreak was confirmed on May 15.

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Within weeks, dozens of deaths were recorded in the locale.

Reuters pieced together the events through interviews with doctors, local officials, and victims' relatives, as well as a review of hospital, burial, and government records. The health ministry and Ituri's health authority did not respond to requests for comment. The WHO chief declined to comment on the pastor's case, stating that many outbreak scenarios are under investigation.

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The original cracked coffin was meanwhile set ablaze in mysterious circumstances, helping spawn rumors that a curse caused the spreading sickness.