BUNIA, Congo (AP) — Residents in Mongbwalu attacked and burned a tent at a health center treating Ebola patients on Friday night, marking the second such incident in the region within a week. No injuries were reported, but 18 individuals with suspected Ebola infections escaped the facility during the chaos, according to Dr. Richard Lokudi, director of the Mongbwalu hospital.
The attack followed another incident on Thursday in Rwampara, where a treatment center was also set ablaze after family members were prohibited from retrieving the body of a local man suspected to have died from Ebola.
Authorities are managing the burial of Ebola victims, which can pose a high risk of contagion. A communal burial for Ebola patients took place in Rwampara on Saturday under tight security, as tensions between health workers and the local community remained high.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the risk assessment for the outbreak in Congo to “very high,” with 82 confirmed cases and seven deaths reported, although the actual number is believed to be larger. The outbreak is linked to the Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola, and there is currently no vaccine available.
In response to the outbreak, authorities in northeastern Congo have banned funeral wakes and gatherings of more than 50 people. Additionally, U.S. federal health officials announced a ban on green card holders who have been in Ebola-affected countries from returning to the U.S. This measure aims to enhance screening and monitoring efforts for U.S. citizens.