By Elsie Kamsiyochi
The fight against Ebola in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a dangerous new setback as violent attacks on health facilities disrupt medical efforts and allow infected patients to escape into communities, worsening fears of wider transmission.
Medical workers in the northeastern province of Ituri, where the latest outbreak first emerged, are struggling not only against the deadly virus but also against rising mistrust, fear, and hostility from local communities. Hospitals already facing shortages of medicine, protective equipment, and staff are now dealing with security threats that health officials warn could significantly undermine efforts to contain the disease.
According to doctors on the frontlines, at least three major incidents targeting healthcare facilities have occurred in recent days. The most serious attacks happened over the weekend at the Mongbwalu General Referral Hospital, a critical treatment center in one of the outbreak’s hardest-hit areas. During the violence, dozens of Ebola patients reportedly fled the facility, raising concerns that infected individuals may now be spreading the virus undetected.
Hospital Medical Director Richard Lokodu said the violence erupted after unidentified individuals attacked medical tents erected by humanitarian organization Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders), setting some isolation areas on fire. The destruction triggered panic among patients, with 18 suspected Ebola cases escaping from treatment on Saturday alone.
Health authorities later confirmed that laboratory tests on four of the escaped patients showed one positive Ebola infection and three negative results. However, doctors fear many other patients remain unaccounted for, creating serious challenges for disease tracking and contact tracing.
“We now have a confirmed Ebola case circulating in the community and avoiding treatment,” Lokodu warned, highlighting the growing difficulty in stopping the outbreak.
The crisis intensified the following day when the hospital came under multiple waves of attacks allegedly led by supporters and relatives of a Christian religious leader who had died after contracting Ebola. Seven additional patients escaped during the unrest as police and security forces rushed to restore order.
Tragically, one critically ill Ebola patient reportedly died while trying to flee the facility during the chaos. The patient, who had been suffering from severe hemorrhaging — one of the virus’s deadliest symptoms — collapsed during the attempted escape.
Health officials say one of the main reasons behind the violence is anger over strict burial protocols. Families have reportedly demanded the release of bodies of relatives who died from suspected or confirmed Ebola infections so they could conduct traditional funeral rites.
However, Ebola victims remain highly infectious even after death. Medical experts warn that unsafe burial practices, where family members touch or wash bodies without protective gear, are one of the biggest drivers of Ebola transmission. During previous outbreaks, funeral ceremonies were linked to large clusters of infections that spread rapidly through communities.
The current unrest mirrors troubling scenes from Congo’s devastating 2018–2020 Ebola outbreak, during which treatment centers were repeatedly attacked. That outbreak, which killed more than 25 healthcare workers, exposed deep mistrust between local populations and health responders. Some residents believed the virus was fake, while others accused aid agencies of profiting from the crisis.
Years of conflict, poverty, and political instability in eastern Congo have also contributed to widespread skepticism toward outside intervention. Experts say the sudden arrival of foreign aid organizations, funding, and emergency personnel in neglected regions often fuels suspicions about hidden motives.
This latest Ebola outbreak has been caused by the rare Bundibugyo strain of the virus, which global health officials describe as especially concerning because of delayed detection and fast community spread. The outbreak has already become one of the largest on record involving this strain.
The Director-General of the , , recently warned that international responders are now “playing catch-up” after delays in identifying cases. More than 900 suspected Ebola infections have been reported so far, including over 100 confirmed cases. Officials have also recorded approximately 220 suspected deaths linked to the outbreak.
The disease has already spread beyond Ituri province into North and South Kivu, including regions affected by ongoing conflict involving Rwanda-backed rebel groups. Cases have also crossed international borders into neighboring , where authorities recently confirmed additional Ebola infections, bringing the country’s total cases to seven.
As health agencies race to contain the outbreak, security concerns and public mistrust threaten to derail response efforts. Doctors warn that unless communities cooperate with health teams and patients remain in care, the outbreak could spiral further out of control, putting thousands more lives at risk across central and eastern Africa.
Source Reuters