An Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is spreading across a large conflict-affected region. Government figures report more than 1,000 suspected cases and up to 246 suspected deaths. Transmission is believed to have been occurring for weeks before the outbreak was declared on May 15. The epicenter is Mongbwalu, a gold-mining town in Ituri province. Health workers report active transmission and daily community deaths, with many suspected patients arriving at the hospital. Deep mistrust is hindering response efforts, including contact tracing. Angry crowds attacked the only hospital, attempted to retrieve dead bodies, and burned patient-isolation tents, while soldiers dispersed attackers with warning shots. Some residents believe Ebola is a mystic illness or that hospital staff are injecting people with the disease.
"“The situation is currently very concerning, with active transmission ongoing everywhere around here in Mongbwalu,” said Dr. Esther Sterk, a tropical disease specialist with Doctors Without Borders, who is working in the town. “Every day there are many community deaths and suspected patients arriving at the hospital. This probably is only a small proportion of all cases at the moment,” she added."
"“People think it's a mystic illness. Or they don't trust the hospital, they think that hospital personnel are injecting people with the illness,” Lokudi said. “These a”"
"Angry crowds attacked Mongbwalu's only hospital several times last week, trying to retrieve dead bodies - which can be slow to be buried because of onerous Ebola-related health protocols - for burial. Attackers also burned down one of the patient-isolation tents hastily erected on the hospital grounds, before soldiers dispersed them by firing warning shots."
"The outbreak is believed to have been spreading for weeks before it was officially declared on May 15. The epicenter of the outbreak is in Mongbwalu, a poor gold-mining town of 130,000 people, in Ituri province, in eastern Congo."
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