An emergency Ebola treatment centre in the Democratic Republic of Congo was set on fire by an angry mob after the crowd was prevented from retrieving the body of a local man who died of the disease, local police reported.
Incident in Rwampara
The incident occurred in the town of Rwampara, located in the eastern part of the country, on Thursday. According to witnesses, a group of youths became enraged when they were stopped from taking the body of a friend believed to have died from Ebola. The mob then broke into the centre, setting fire to objects inside and to what appeared to be the body of at least one suspected Ebola victim being stored there. Aid workers were forced to flee the facility in vehicles.
Deputy Senior Commissioner Jean Claude Mukendi, head of public security in Ituri Province, explained that there was confusion among the crowd regarding burial procedures for suspected Ebola victims. He stated, 'His family, friends, and other young people wanted to take his body home for a funeral even though the instructions from the authorities during this Ebola virus outbreak are clear. All bodies must be buried according to the regulations.'
Outbreak Statistics
The attack comes as the death toll from the Ebola outbreak in Central Africa rises to 139, with more than 600 suspected cases. The World Health Organisation has declared the outbreak a 'global health emergency.' Experts have warned that a vaccine against the specific strain, Bundibugyo, could take up to nine months to develop.
Response and Aftermath
Police intervened to control the situation but were initially unsuccessful. Security guards were rushed to the scene to restore order. Hama Amadou, field coordinator for the humanitarian organisation ALIMA, which was operating at the centre, later confirmed that calm had been restored and aid teams were continuing their work. Medical staff subsequently disinfected the site after the fire was extinguished.
In response to the outbreak, the DR Congo national football team has cancelled its pre-World Cup training camp in Kinshasa. The team is scheduled to play friendly matches against Denmark on June 3 and Chile on June 9.
