Ebola Treatment Center Burned in Congo Following Clashes Over Victim’s Body

(SeaPRwire) –   On Thursday, an Ebola treatment center at the epicenter of the deadly outbreak in eastern Congo was set on fire after angry residents clashed with authorities over the remains of a suspected Ebola victim.

A witness told The Associated Press that Rwampara Hospital was attacked by local young people trying to retrieve the body of a friend who was reported to have died of Ebola.

“Police stepped in to try to calm the situation, but unfortunately their efforts failed,” Alexis Burata, a local student who was present in the area, told the outlet. “The young people ultimately set fire to the center. That is what happened.”

AP reports that intruders broke into the center and set items inside on fire. A reporter also witnessed what appeared to be the body of at least one suspected Ebola victim burned inside the facility.

The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) stated that two tents used to treat Ebola patients at the hospital were set on fire. The organization added that six people were receiving Ebola treatment at the center at the time of the attack.

Patrick Muyaya, a government spokesperson for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said medical care is continuing as normal, and all six patients have been accounted for.

He called for calm and condemned violence targeting health facilities and medical staff.

Deputy Senior Commissioner Jean Claude Mukendi, head of the public security department in Ituri Province, said the people who burned the tents do not understand the official protocols for Ebola burials.

The incident highlights rising tensions between health officials enforcing strict Ebola containment measures and local customs for funerals and burial rites.

“His family, friends, and other young people wanted to take his body home for a funeral, even though authorities’ rules during this Ebola outbreak are clear,” Mukendi said. “All bodies must be buried in line with official regulations.”

In its statement, ALIMA condemned the spread of “incorrect or unconfirmed information on social media and the internet,” warning that misinformation can stoke fear and mistrust of health facilities.

This violent clash comes as Congolese health officials have reported 160 suspected deaths and 671 suspected Ebola cases across two provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Earlier this week, the United Nations said neighboring Uganda has recorded two cases, including one death.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency on Sunday, and the U.S. issued an urgent travel warning for the DRC shortly after the announcement.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of this epidemic.”

Officials said the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rarer variant that existing vaccines may be less effective against.

The WHO has approved nearly $4 million in emergency funding to support national authorities responding to the outbreak.

Anders Hagstrom from Digital and