Reuters Health News Summary

At least 30 deaths in a Congo camp have raised concerns that Ebola may be spreading rapidly, with some confirmed cases and others untested due to patient and family refusal.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

At least 30 ​deaths at Congo camp show Ebola could ​be spreading fast

At least 30 people have ‌died since ​the start of May in one camp for displaced civilians in northeastern Congo, a death rate that camp officials said was unprecedented, with some confirmed to ‌have died from Ebola in a sign the disease could be spreading fast there. It was not possible to confirm the causes of all the deaths because patients or their relatives in Kigonze camp in Bunia - the epicentre of ‌the Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo - had until Thursday refused testing, a camp spokesperson and aid ‌organisation Caritas said.

France bans alcohol consumption at music festivals under red heatwave alert

France said on Saturday that alcohol consumption during the annual Fete de la Musique festivals would be banned on June 21 in the departments or administrative districts that will be placed under the ⁠red heatwave ​alert from noon on ⁠Sunday. "Prefects will issue decrees banning alcohol consumption in public spaces in the departments under red alert," the Prime Minister's office said in ⁠a statement following a crisis meeting called by PM Sebastien Lecornu.

Australia reports second H5N1 bird flu case in migratory seabird

Australia reported ​a second case of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu in Western Australia on Monday, after confirming its first ⁠over the weekend, as the government vowed to rein in the spread of the virus. A migratory seabird known as a northern giant ⁠petrel ​found sick on a remote beach tested positive, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said, after a brown skua case on Saturday. Both birds were found near the coastal town of Esperance, about 570 km (350 miles) southeast of ⁠the state capital of Perth.

USDA reports three new cases of screwworm, bringing total to 15

The number of U.S. cases ⁠of New World screwworm ⁠has risen to 15 after three more animals tested positive in Texas, the Department of Agriculture said in a post on social media on Sunday. The USDA announcement comes ‌nearly three weeks after ‌the first domestic screwworm infestation in six decades was found ​in a Texas calf.