An Ebola treatment facility in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was attacked on Friday when a group of angry youths set fire to medical tents, leaving 13 suspected patients missing amid rising tensions over the outbreak.
According to local broadcaster Radio Okapi, the incident occurred in Mongwalu, where treatment tents supported by Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders, MSF) were hosting 28 suspected Ebola patients at the time of the attack.
Hospital officials said at least 13 patients fled during the chaos and remain unaccounted for. Richard Lokudi, medical director of Mongwalu General Referral Hospital, confirmed that authorities have launched an investigation to identify those behind the attack and locate the missing individuals, who are believed to be hiding within the community.
The assault marks the second attack on Ebola treatment infrastructure in the region within a week, underscoring growing mistrust and fear among residents as health workers battle to contain the outbreak.
Just a day earlier, another treatment centre in nearby Rwampara was also set ablaze after relatives were reportedly prevented from retrieving the body of a man suspected to have died from Ebola.
Humanitarian organisations say misinformation, fear, and distrust are increasingly undermining response efforts in eastern DR Congo, where insecurity and weak infrastructure continue to complicate outbreak control operations.
Health authorities warn that Ebola remains highly infectious after death, and unsafe burial practices can significantly increase transmission risks. As a result, official protocols often require health teams to manage burials of suspected victims — a measure that has frequently triggered community resistance.
As of Sunday, authorities had recorded 904 suspected cases and 119 suspected deaths linked to the ongoing outbreak in DR Congo. In neighbouring Uganda, officials have confirmed five cases and one death connected to the virus.