Again, Youths Attack Ebola Treatment Centre in DR Congo
Tensions Escalate in Northeastern DR Congo Following Ebola-Related Violence
MONGBWALU, Democratic Republic of the Congo — Tensions flared in northeastern DR Congo as youths attacked a hospital treating Ebola patients in Ituri Province after the death of a prominent religious leader from the virus.
The incidents took place in Mongbwalu, a significant town where the latest Ebola outbreak was confirmed on May 15. Hospital officials reported that the violence erupted when residents sought to reclaim the body of a Catholic shepherd who succumbed to the disease.
“A group of young people attacked the hospital multiple times,” a hospital representative stated, requesting anonymity. “They wanted to retrieve the body of the religious leader, a well-known figure in Mongbwalu.”
In response to the unrest, security forces were deployed, and soldiers reportedly fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.
Health authorities indicate that the current Ebola outbreak has claimed more than 200 lives across the country. The virus is characterized as a highly infectious viral hemorrhagic fever that spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, leading to severe symptoms, including bleeding and organ failure.
The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment. According to Jean Marie Ezadri, a civil society leader in Ituri, local customs contribute to the risk of infection.
“Many people still engage in practices that increase their vulnerability, such as touching corpses and conducting mass mourning rituals,” Ezadri said. “This explains the high incidence of contamination.”
Separately, on May 21, TVC News Online reported that an Ebola treatment center in Rwampara was set ablaze following tensions over the body of a man believed to have died from the virus. This incident highlights the growing frustration and fear within communities as health officials work to contain the outbreak.
Roya News English also reported that the violence in Rwampara erupted after local youths were prevented from reclaiming the body of a friend suspected of dying from Ebola.
