Angry residents in eastern Congo attacked another treatment centre after being barred from retrieving the body of a local man suspected of dying from Ebola. This is the second such incident in less than a week.
Reports said that the mob burned isolation wards set up by the hospital. Though no one was hurt in the attack, around 18 people suspected of Ebola infections at the hospital went missing during the incident. According to the local hospital director, these suspected people are unaccounted for.
The angry residents had arrived at the clinic in the town of Mongbwalu on Friday night and set fire to a tent set up for suspected and confirmed Ebola cases.
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"We strongly condemn this act, as it caused panic among the staff and also resulted in the escape of 18 suspected cases in the community," said Dr Richard Lokudi, director of the Mongbwalu hospital, told AP.
Earlier, a similar incident took place in Rwampara. Isolation tents were set on fire by family members after the hospital authorities banned them from retrieving the body of a local man suspected of having died due to the infection.
Since the bodies of those who died of Ebola carry a huge risk of spreading to people who gather for funeral and burial rituals, the authorities are taking precautionary measures.
A communal burial for Ebola patients in Rwampara took place on Saturday under high security due to the existing tensions in the area.
"We experienced a lot of difficulties, including resistance from young people and the community," said Basima, a team leader with the Red Cross.
In an effort to curb the spread of the virus, the authorities in northeastern Congo banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people.
The Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus is currently causing a surge in infections. Over 700 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been reported so far, with the cases surging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Three healthcare workers also died due to the outbreak.
The Director-General of the Africa CDC said that the response to the outbreak must include building trust with communities.