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KINSHASA, Congo (AP) — On Sunday evening, a group of angry young men stormed the Mongbwalu General Hospital, which is currently treating patients during
the latest Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo. The incident forced medical staff to evacuate patients amidst gunfire in the area. Dr. Richard Lokudu, the hospital's medical director, reported that the attackers demanded the return of two bodies belonging to their kin. It remains unclear if there were any injuries during the attack.
Evacuations and Alerts
Dr. Lokudu described the chaos as medics attempted to evacuate both patients and staff amid the gunfire. He stated, “Mongbwalu General Hospital is on general alert,” but could not provide further details on the situation.Escalating Violence Against Healthcare Facilities
This attack marks the third incident within a week targeting healthcare facilities struggling to manage resources amid the Ebola outbreak, which the World Health Organization has classified as a public health emergency of international concern.Health authorities emphasize that bodies of Ebola victims are highly contagious, posing a significant risk of further transmission during burial preparations and funerals. In response, the Congolese government has mandated that burials of suspected victims be conducted by authorities, often leading to protests from affected families.
Government Measures to Combat Ebola Spread
To mitigate the outbreak, the government announced a ban on funeral wakes and gatherings exceeding 50 people in northeastern Congo. This measure aims to curb the virus's spread.On Saturday, a group of residents attacked a tent set up by Doctors Without Borders for suspected and confirmed Ebola cases, resulting in 18 individuals with suspected infections escaping the facility.
Earlier this week, another treatment center in Rwampara was burned down after family members were denied access to retrieve the body of a man suspected to have died from Ebola.
Current Ebola Situation in Congo
The World Health Organization has raised the risk level of the Ebola outbreak in Congo to 'very high,' although it maintains that the risk of global spread remains low. The Congolese Ministry of Communication reported 904 suspected cases, primarily in Ituri Province, a significant increase from previous figures.While the ministry stated that suspected Ebola deaths total 119, discrepancies in reported numbers have raised concerns, as figures for individual regions summed to 220.
There is currently no vaccine available for the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola that has gone undetected for weeks in Ituri, following the initial death reported in late April in Bunia, the provincial capital.
Impact on Healthcare Workers
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies announced that three of its volunteers died from the outbreak in Mongbwalu. The organization believes the healthcare workers contracted the virus while handling deceased individuals as part of a humanitarian mission not directly related to Ebola.If confirmed, this development could significantly alter the timeline of the outbreak.
