Congo Reports Attack on Ebola Burial Team as Outbreak Expands Across Eastern Provinces

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have reported an attack on an Ebola burial team in the country's east, warning that the incident could increase the risk of further infections as the outbreak continues to spread.

According to the Health Ministry, residents in Katana, a town in South Kivu province controlled by AFC/M23 rebels, assaulted a specialised burial team on Monday, forcing responders to abandon a coffin while carrying out a safe burial operation.

The team was part of a "safe and dignified burial team" trained to handle highly infectious bodies under strict protocols designed to prevent the spread of Ebola. Following the attack, community members reportedly handled the body themselves, a practice health officials consider highly risky because Ebola transmission can occur through contact with infected remains.

Officials did not specify what triggered the assault, but the incident highlights persistent mistrust of health workers and resistance to containment measures in parts of eastern Congo. In recent weeks, burial teams and other Ebola responders have faced hostility from local residents, including relatives who have questioned official explanations for deaths attributed to the virus.

A similar incident was reported the same day in Bunia, the capital of Ituri province, where residents attacked a response team at a cemetery, leaving at least four people injured.

The attacks come as Congo's latest Ebola outbreak continues to expand. Since the outbreak was declared on May 15, authorities have confirmed 363 cases and 62 deaths. Health officials reported 19 new infections, including two fatalities, in their latest update.

Most cases remain concentrated in Ituri province, where infections have now been recorded in 17 of the province's 36 health zones. Cases have also been reported in seven health zones in North Kivu and one in South Kivu, indicating a gradual geographic spread of the outbreak.

To strengthen containment efforts, the International Organization for Migration is helping establish 30 health control posts across the three affected provinces to monitor movement and identify potential cases. International assistance has also continued to arrive, including burial kits supplied by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Despite the challenges, health authorities reported some encouraging developments. Thirty-two monitored contacts in Ituri completed the 21-day observation period without developing Ebola, while officials in Goma prepared to discharge a recovered patient from treatment.

(Reuters reported)