Dozens of workers at an Ebola treatment center in northeast Congo have gone on strike over unpaid salaries and bonuses, halting operations in a region battling the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak in history. The strike at Rwampara General Hospital in Ituri province includes epidemiologists, case investigators, drivers, and gravediggers who say they have not been paid by Congolese authorities since the outbreak began in May. The hospital was shuttered by protesting staff, who blocked the road leading to the medical facility.
The outbreak, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, has no approved vaccine or treatment. Nearly 2,000 cases, including 702 deaths, have been confirmed, with cases now suspected in two more provinces, including Kisangani, one of Congo's largest cities. Experts believe the outbreak was missed for weeks because tests were conducted for a more common type of Ebola, and its origin remains unknown.
The strike adds to the challenges in a region already struggling with bare-bones infrastructure, rebel threats, and misinformation about the virus. Traditional funerals, where loved ones wash and prepare bodies, have been restricted, sparking anger among some residents. The disease is highly contagious, spreading through contact with bodily fluids or contaminated surfaces.
The outbreak occurs in a volatile region where outsiders are often viewed with suspicion. Health workers have faced attacks from a wary, highly mobile population traumatized by armed groups. The World Health Organization declared the outbreak on May 15, after the disease had been transmitting for weeks without official detection.