Ebola Health Workers Attacked In Congo By Angry Residents Who Believe The Virus Is Not Real

Health workers tackling the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been severely injured after being attacked by angry residents who believe the virus is not real.

Four local health workers from the Red Cross were attacked in the city of Butembo as they were transporting dead bodies for burial. Residents started throwing rocks at their car and two of the health workers were severely injured.

More than 100 people have died since the start of the outbreak in the east of the country two months ago. The bodies of people who die from Ebola are believed to be extremely contagious and so burying them in a safe way is one of the most important steps to limit the spread of the virus.

This is often difficult for families and communities to accept, especially when they are used to traditional burial rites where touching dead bodies is common. Butembo is the second biggest cluster of new suspected Ebola cases after Beni, another large city in the region. New cases have also been reported in Tchoima, a busy fishing market town very close to the Ugandan border.