Ebola facility attack in eastern Congo leaves 13 patients missing

Suspected Ebola patients fled a treatment facility in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after attackers set fire to medical tents on Friday, leaving 13 people unaccounted for as authorities launched a search operation, according to local broadcaster Radio Okapi.

Hospital attack

A group of "angry youth" stormed tents built with support from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) at Mongwalu General Referral Hospital, Richard Lokudi, the facility's medical director, told Radio Okapi. The facility was hosting 28 suspected Ebola cases when the attack occurred, and at least 13 patients escaped and remain missing, he added, noting that police opened an investigation Saturday morning to identify the perpetrators.

Second incident in a week

The incident marked the second assault on Ebola treatment infrastructure in the region within seven days, underscoring mounting friction between medical teams and local populations. On Thursday, a treatment center in nearby Rwampara was set ablaze after relatives were barred from retrieving the body of a man suspected to have died from Ebola, according to the report. Humanitarian groups have warned that fear, misinformation and distrust continue to undermine response efforts in eastern DR Congo, where weak infrastructure and insecurity complicate outbreak control.

Burial protocols and outbreak data

Bodies of Ebola victims remain highly infectious and can spread the virus during traditional burial practices, prompting authorities to assume responsibility for burials of suspected victims — a practice that often triggers objections from relatives and community members. As of Sunday, authorities in Congo had recorded 904 suspected cases and 119 suspected deaths linked to the latest outbreak, while neighboring Uganda confirmed five cases and one death, according to health officials.