Violent Disruptions Hamper Ebola Response in Congo

In eastern Congo, a group of young men stormed a hospital treating Ebola patients, escalating tensions in the region’s Ebola outbreak. The attack, occurring on Sunday evening at Mongbwalu General Hospital, forced medical staff to rush in evacuating patients amidst gunfire. The motives behind this act were related to the demand from the attackers to retrieve two bodies of their relatives.

Dr. Richard Lokudu, the hospital’s medical director, reported the situation, emphasizing the general alert status at the hospital. This event marks the third assault on health facilities within a week, highlighting challenges faced during the public health emergency declared by the World Health Organization (WHO).

The risk of Ebola’s spread is heightened due to the viral nature of bodies from Ebola victims. Congolese authorities have taken measures to control the burial of suspected victims, which has sometimes resulted in local dissent.

The government has prohibited funeral gatherings of over 50 people in northeastern Congo to curb the virus’s spread. Yet, resistance remains strong, as evidenced by another attack in Mongbwalu where a tent used by Doctors Without Borders was set ablaze. Additionally, 18 suspected Ebola patients left the facility, remaining unaccounted for after the attack.

Earlier, in Rwampara, another facility was destroyed when relatives were prevented from retrieving a body suspected of being infected with Ebola. WHO assesses the outbreak as posing a ‘very high’ risk for Congo, though global risk remains low.

The Congolese Ministry of Communication revealed a rise in suspected Ebola cases to 904, primarily in Ituri Province, reflecting a notable increase from previous reports. Discrepancies were noted in the reported total suspected Ebola deaths, with official figures being uncertain.

There is no vaccine for the Bundibugyo strain, a rare form of Ebola, complicating efforts to manage the disease after its spread in Ituri following tests for more common strains returning negative results. Tragically, three Red Cross volunteers died from the outbreak whilst handling bodies unrelated to Ebola, indicating possible earlier beginnings of the outbreak than previously identified.