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Congo's Ebola outbreak: Attacks on health facilities and workers rise
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- At least a dozen attacks on health facilities and workers have been reported during Congo’s Ebola outbreak, hindering response efforts in Ituri province, the worst-affected region.
- Health and frontline workers have gone on strike over unpaid salaries, further complicating the response to the outbreak, which has recorded 2,181 cases and 864 deaths so far.
- The outbreak is caused by the less common Bundibugyo virus, for which no approved vaccine or treatment exists, and traditional funeral practices restricted to prevent spread have angered local communities.
- Violence and threats against healthcare and burial teams have forced some humanitarian workers to temporarily relocate to safer areas like Bunia, limiting access to treatment centers and hot spots.
- Recent attacks, including one in Nyakunde that forced patients and staff to flee, raise concerns about increased transmission risks and the potential departure of aid workers, which could hinder efforts to control the outbreak.
