At least 12 attacks on health facilities and Ebola workers have been recorded in Congo’s outbreak, with the latest in Nyakunde forcing patients to flee before treatment resumed Thursday.
Ituri—home to about 90% of cases—has seen angry mobs target treatment, burial and field teams as restrictions on traditional funerals and broader safety fears fuel hostility.
2,181 cases and 864 deaths have been recorded in what authorities call the fastest-growing Ebola outbreak on record; the Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or treatment.
Unpaid salaries have pushed many frontline workers in Ituri to strike, while several humanitarian partners have relocated staff to Bunia as violence constrains access to treatment centers and nearby communities.
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Deadly Mistrust: The 2026 Ituri Ebola Outbreak, Community Resistance, and the Rwampara Hospital Crisis
Overview
In May 2026, Rwampara General Hospital in Ituri province became the center of violent protests after hospital authorities refused to release the body of a young man suspected of dying from Ebola. This decision, made to prevent the spread of the virus through safe burial practices, clashed with deep community skepticism and widespread beliefs that Ebola was not real or was a 'White man’s invention.' The lack of information and awareness fueled tensions, leading to clashes with police, damage to hospital facilities, and the need for military protection for health workers. This incident highlights how mistrust and misinformation can escalate public health crises.