Ebola patients flee in attacks on Congo health facilities, hobbling response
Attacks on Ebola treatment facilities in Congo’s Ituri province have forced patients to flee, worsening the outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain, now declared a global health emergency by the WHO with over 900 suspected cases and 220 deaths. The violence, driven by distrust and demands for unsafe burials, mirrors past outbreaks, with hospitals like Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital facing repeated assaults and patients escaping isolation tents.
Health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo are struggling to contain an Ebola outbreak after repeated attacks on treatment facilities in Ituri province forced patients to flee. At least three incidents occurred over the weekend, including two at Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, where 18 patients escaped after unidentified attackers burned isolation tents set up by Médecins Sans Frontières. Four of the escaped patients tested negative for Ebola, but one tested positive, indicating the virus remains active in the community. The violence stems from local distrust and demands to release bodies of Ebola victims for burial, despite the risks. A critical patient died during the second attack while attempting to flee, and police had to intervene to restore order. Dr. Richard Lokodu, the hospital’s medical director, noted that some community members deny the disease exists and refuse to cooperate with containment efforts. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak—a rare Bundibugyo strain—the third-largest Ebola crisis on record and a public health emergency of international concern. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported over 900 suspected cases and 220 deaths, warning that delayed detection has left responders playing catch-up. The outbreak follows a pattern seen in past Congolese Ebola crises, where militia groups and angry mobs targeted health facilities, exploiting fears and distrust. The attacks recall the 2018–2020 outbreak in eastern Congo, which killed over 25 health workers amid similar violence. Local suspicions about foreign aid and neglect have fueled resistance, with some believing the outbreak is a hoax. The WHO’s emergency declaration underscores the urgency, but ongoing attacks threaten to undermine containment efforts before the crisis can be controlled.
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