A crowd in the Democratic Republic of Congo set fire to an Ebola treatment center in Rwampara, near Bunia, after authorities refused to release the body of a suspected Ebola victim. The incident occurred on Thursday at Rwampara General Hospital in Ituri province, where local youths became angry over the withholding of their friend's body, according to witnesses and officials. Two isolation tents and a body were burned, while police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. A healthcare worker was injured during the clash, and six patients from the destroyed tents were relocated to the hospital for continued care.
The attack highlights the challenges of containing the Ebola outbreak in a region with limited medical facilities and ongoing armed conflicts. The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which has no existing vaccine, has led to 177 confirmed deaths and 750 suspected cases, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO has declared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern" but has not labeled it a pandemic.
Local customs, particularly burial rites, have clashed with health protocols, as the bodies of Ebola victims remain highly contagious. Authorities have taken over burial procedures to prevent further spread, which has sometimes led to protests from families and friends. Patrick Muyaya, a government spokesperson, condemned the violence and called for calm, while Luc Mambele, vice president of the Congolese political party A2RC, noted that some remote communities believe "Ebola is a lie." The medical charity ALIMA confirmed that all six patients from the burned tents are now receiving care at the hospital.