Panic Over Ebola Sparks Chaos At Congo Hospital As Families Demand Bodies Of Loved Ones

Tensions are escalating in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo as fear surrounding the ongoing Ebola outbreak continues to fuel unrest and panic among local communities.

Days after an Ebola treatment centre was set ablaze, armed residents reportedly stormed another hospital in the region demanding the bodies of deceased relatives.

The latest incident took place at Mongbwalu General Hospital in northeastern Ituri Province. According to Associated Press, hospital director Dr Richard Lokudu said a group of people entered the facility and fired gunshots while insisting that the bodies of two family members be handed over to them.

Following the gunfire, doctors and healthcare workers immediately began evacuating patients and staff from the hospital premises. “Mongbwalu General Hospital is on general alert,” Lokudu said, highlighting the tense atmosphere in the region.

The violence comes just days after an Ebola treatment centre in Rwampara was set on fire amid growing mistrust and fear over the outbreak. Earlier, another facility in Mongbwalu run by Doctors Without Borders was also attacked by residents. The mob reportedly burned a medical tent that had been set up to isolate suspected and confirmed Ebola patients.

During that attack, at least 18 people believed to be infected reportedly fled the facility and remain unaccounted for, raising fears of wider transmission in nearby communities.

On Sunday, authorities in Democratic Republic of the Congo said there were more than 900 suspected Ebola cases recorded so far, with over 100 suspected deaths, most of them concentrated in Ituri Province.

Last week, the World Health Organization raised the outbreak risk level in Congo to “very high”, while classifying the wider Central African regional threat as “high”. However, the global risk level remains “low”.

Health experts warn that Ebola spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected individuals, including blood, vomit and other secretions. Funeral gatherings and traditional burial practices have historically contributed to rapid community transmission, making the handling of bodies particularly sensitive during outbreaks.

The current outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or targeted treatments. International health agencies have called for urgent intervention and stronger community cooperation to prevent the disease from spreading further across the region.