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Police fire shots in air to disperse angry crowds at DR Congo Ebola treatment centre
TL;DR
Police in the Democratic Republic of Congo fired shots in the air to disperse crowds demanding the return of bodies from an Ebola treatment centre in Mongwalu. The unrest follows a previous attack on the facility, raising concerns over the spread of the virus.
Key points
- Police fired shots in the air to disperse angry crowds
- Crowds demanded the return of bodies from an Ebola treatment centre
- An isolation tent was set ablaze during a previous attack
- Over 900 suspected Ebola cases reported in the outbreak
- 220 suspected deaths from Ebola have been reported
Mentioned in this story
Democratic Republic of CongoMongwalu
Police in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo fired shots in the air after angry crowds attempted to reclaim the bodies of loved ones who had died at an Ebola treatment centre in Mongwalu, two local journalists told the BBC.
Sunday's unrest continued throughout the day, the reporters said.
The treatment centre, in a hospital compound, was the same place that was targeted overnight on Friday into Saturday, when an isolation tent was set ablaze.
The body of a dead Ebola victim is highly infectious and can lead to the virus spreading further when prepared for burial.
There have been more than 900 suspected Ebola cases in the current outbreak and 220 suspected deaths, officials say.
According to Mongwalu General Hospital's medical director Dr Richard Lokudu, Sunday's attackers demanded the bodies of two people be given to their families.
He told the Associated Press news agency that the hospital was on "general alert".
Suspicion of the authorities and scepticism about the cause of death has led to deep distrust among some in the communities currently affected by Ebola.
On Thursday, crowds set fire to isolation tents in hospital in Rwampara - a town near Mongwalu where cases are also concentrated - after they were prevented from taking the body of a man thought to have died from Ebola, away for burial.
Red Cross volunteers are carrying out safe burials under police protection to stop the virus spreading.
Three volunteers have also died from suspected Ebola likely caught while managing dead bodies, according to the organisation.
This comes as heath ministers from DR Congo and neighbouring Uganda and South Sudan over the weekend finalised their cross-border co-ordination in response to the outbreak, alongside the head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
On Monday, Uganda confirmed two new cases, both health workers, bringing its total infections to seven. The patients are receiving treatment and people they have been in contact with are being traced, the health ministry said.
Africa CDC warned that other countries on the continent - namely Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia - are at risk from an outbreak.
The agency's director-general Dr Jean Kaseya said he is holding a meeting on Monday for "all African leaders" to share guidance.
Q&A
What caused the unrest at the Ebola treatment centre in Mongwalu?
The unrest was caused by angry crowds attempting to reclaim the bodies of loved ones who had died at the treatment centre.
How many suspected Ebola cases are there in the current outbreak in DR Congo?
There have been more than 900 suspected Ebola cases reported in the current outbreak.
What happened during the attack on the Ebola treatment centre in Mongwalu?
An isolation tent at the treatment centre was set ablaze during an attack overnight from Friday into Saturday.
Why are the bodies of Ebola victims considered highly infectious?
The bodies of Ebola victims are highly infectious and can lead to further spread of the virus if not handled properly during burial.
