An enraged crowd set fire to an emergency Ebola treatment center in response to a significant outbreak. The incident occurred in a town in eastern Congo when locals were prevented from retrieving a deceased man’s body, according to local authorities.
The Central Africa Ebola outbreak has claimed 139 lives and has seen over 600 suspected cases. World Health Organization experts have cautioned that developing a vaccine against Bundibugyo, a specific strain of Ebola causing the recent surge in infections, could take up to nine months.
Witnesses reported that the Rwampara center was burned down by young locals who wanted to claim the body of a friend believed to have died from Ebola. Despite police attempts to calm the situation, the youths proceeded to set fire to the facility. An Associated Press journalist witnessed people breaking into the center, setting fires to objects, and possibly burning the body of a suspected Ebola victim.
Public security officials in Ituri Province mentioned confusion among the crowd regarding the proper procedures for burying suspected Ebola victims. Although calm was eventually restored, aid workers continued their efforts at the site.
The outbreak, now classified as a “global health emergency” by the WHO, has prompted Congolese authorities and international aid organizations to intensify containment efforts. In response to the crisis, the Democratic Republic of Congo national football team has canceled its pre-World Cup training camp in Kinshasa. Scheduled friendly matches against Denmark and Chile are affected by the decision.