In Kinshasa, Congo, a group of young men stormed the Mongbwalu General Hospital on Sunday evening. The hospital is at the center of an Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo. Chaos ensued as medical staff scrambled to evacuate patients amid gunfire. The attackers demanded the bodies of their deceased relatives. Dr. Richard Lokudu, the hospital’s medical director, reported this incident to The Associated Press. He stated that the hospital remains on high alert but could not provide more details.

This attack marks the third assault on healthcare facilities within a week. Medical workers face a lack of resources while handling suspected Ebola cases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared this outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Ebola victims’ bodies can be highly contagious. Improper handling during funerals can spread the virus further.

To control the outbreak, Congo’s authorities have taken measures. Official bodies are tasked with managing burials of suspected Ebola victims. Families often protest these actions. On Friday, the government banned funeral wakes and gatherings of over 50 people in northeastern Congo. This measure aims to reduce virus transmission.

On Saturday, a tent set up by Doctors Without Borders for Ebola cases in Mongbwalu was burned down. Eighteen individuals suspected of having Ebola left the facility during the attack and are currently missing. Earlier, another treatment center in Rwampara was burned after family members were barred from retrieving a suspected Ebola victim’s body.

WHO has increased the risk level for Ebola in Congo from “high” to “very high.” Despite this, the global risk remains low.

On Sunday, the Congolese Ministry of Communication reported 904 suspected Ebola cases in northeastern Ituri Province, up from over 700 cases earlier. Suspected Ebola deaths were reported at 119, though regional figures suggested 220. An explanation for this discrepancy was not immediately available.

The Bundibugyo virus, a rare type of Ebola, emerged undetected in Ituri since the first reported death in Bunia in late April. No vaccine exists for this virus. Authorities initially tested for a more common Ebola virus but found negative results.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies reported that three of its volunteers died in Mongbwalu. They are believed to have contracted the virus during a humanitarian mission unrelated to Ebola on March 27. Confirmation of this would change the outbreak timeline significantly.

Additional reporting by Pronczuk from Dakar, Senegal.