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Two Zimbabwean peacekeeping soldiers are dead of suspected Ebola infection.

This week's proMED email regarding the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo contained more then the usual bad news. Apparently two members of the African peacekeeping force are dead of Ebola. While the report is unconfirmed, getting the truth out of Congo on Ebola right now is like trying to get a consensus Illinois US Senator seated -- in other words, impossible.

The two dead peacekeeping soldiers were from Zimbabwe, and were assigned to the western Congo region including the province of Western Kasai. The latest Ebola outbreak began there in late November, and the two soldiers were apparently garrisoned within the province. How they contracted the disease is unknown, but since Ebola is a fluid-borne illness (at least so far), it is reasonable to assume they came across infected humans or primates.

And not necessarily living humans or primates. Another report from DR Congo speculates that dead monkeys are harboring the virus and passing it to people.  From China View:

LUANDA, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- The dead monkeys found in the forest in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) might be behind the outbreak of the Ebola virus in DR Congo's southwestern Kassi province, Angola's official news agency ANGOP reported on Tuesday.

Diosdado Nsue-Micawg, representative of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Angola, was quoted as saying that he feared that the improper handling of the dead monkeys might be the cause of the outbreak of the Ebola pandemic in the DR Congo.

He said although the source of the Ebola virus is so far unknown, it is feared that hunters and women who visit the forest might have been in contact with infected monkeys.

The official also said the WHO has assisted the Angolan government with specific information and instructions to Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Moxico, Malanje and Uige provinces that border the DR Congo to revitalize and reorganize the alert and prevention systems.

The WHO representative said the WHO will also help the Angola government with the drafting and implementing of an emergency action plan, the gathering of information on supporting health networks and logistics with a view to effectively handling the possible outbreak of Ebola in the country.

The Ebola virus was first reported in late November last year in DR Congo southwestern province of Kassai, bordering Angola's northwestern Lunda-Norte province.

According to WHO data, three cases of the disease were recorded in the DR Congo and at least 36 suspected cases were recorded, including 12 deaths feared to be related to the disease.

Laboratory tests are now taking place in the DR Congo, Gabon and South Africa.

To prevent the spread of the Ebola pandemic from the DR Congo, Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos on Saturday appointed an ad-hoc commission coordinated by Angolan Prime Minister Antonio Paulo Kassoma.

 It is also not unreasonable to assume that Zimbabwean soldiers might feed themselves, consuming bush meat as they move along the territory.  Whatever the reason, two dead soldiers scares me more than a village full of dead Ebola victims.  Why?  Simply pout, soldiers are more mobile.  They are probably patrolling the countryside, going from village to village, putting down the insurrection or attempting to do the same.  They are, by definition, much more likely to be mobilized and to move via mechanized means such as trucks or halftracks.  And they are likely to be garrisoned in tents, huts or barracks with other soldiers.

To call this situation potentially explosive is to dramatically understate the situation.  Hopefully, tests will show the soldiers died of some other disease, just not Ebola.  But we need to watch this situation very, very closely.  At least as closely as eyes and ears will allow.