Lauge Risom Koch 
Several Ebola treatment centres in Congo have been attacked and burned as health officials warn the outbreak is spreading amid growing fear and mistrust.
Several Ebola treatment centres in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been attacked and set on fire amid growing mistrust and fear surrounding the outbreak.
Health officials say patients fled from at least one facility as authorities struggle to contain the spread of the virus.
Centres attacked
According to Digi24, citing Associated Press, local residents attacked three Ebola treatment centres in the town of Mongwabalu.
Officials said 18 patients escaped from one of the facilities following the violence and have not yet been located.
The centres were operated by Doctors Without Borders and treated people with confirmed or suspected Ebola infections.
Local hospital director Richard Lokudi said no injuries were reported during the attacks.
Rising tensions
The first reported incident occurred in Rwampara on May 21 after relatives of a footballer believed to have died from Ebola set fire to a treatment centre.
According to Associated Press, the family accused foreign medical workers of lying about the disease after doctors refused to release the body for burial.
Traditional funeral practices remain a major challenge for health officials attempting to limit transmission.
In some communities, touching the body of the deceased is considered an important sign of respect and mourning.
Outbreak spreads
Congolese authorities have suspended domestic flights from Bunia, one of the outbreak’s main centres near the Ugandan border.
Health ministers from Congo, Uganda and South Sudan warned of an increasing risk of cross-border spread, reports Digi24.
According to officials cited by Associated Press, the number of suspected Ebola cases has reached 904, while 119 suspected deaths have been recorded.
Doctors have reportedly identified only a fraction of known contacts linked to infected patients.
Emergency response
According to Digi24, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern on May 17.
According to the WHO, the outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine currently exists.
Africa CDC head Jean Kasaya warned that health workers are operating without sufficient protective equipment or specialised facilities.
“It is like being a soldier and going into battle without ammunition,” he said.
Sources: Digi24, Associated Press, WHO, Africa CDC
