Angry mob burns ebola isolation tents
CAPTION: An angry crowd set fire to Ebola isolation tents at a hospital in DR Congo Friday, May 22nd, 2026. (Courtesy Photo).
By Susmita Modak
DR CONGO – An angry crowd set fire to Ebola isolation tents at a hospital in DR Congo after a local man died from the virus, highlighting rising fear, misinformation and challenges in containing the outbreak. Tensions erupted in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo after an angry crowd attacked a hospital treating Ebola patients and set fire to isolation tents following the death of a young local man suspected of having died from the virus. The violence took place at Rwampara General Hospital near the city of Bunia, the epicentre of the country’s latest Ebola outbreak.
According to witnesses and local officials, family members and supporters of the deceased became furious after authorities refused to release the body for traditional burial rites.
Health officials insisted on following Ebola safety protocols because the bodies of Ebola victims remain highly infectious even after death. However, many residents reportedly believed the victim had died from typhoid and not Ebola, fuelling anger and distrust against medical authorities.
During the chaos, protesters threw stones at the hospital and torched isolation tents being used to treat Ebola patients.
Police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd while security forces later placed medical workers under military protection.
Reports also said a healthcare worker was injured during the violence. The unrest has exposed the growing challenge facing authorities in containing the outbreak, especially in remote areas where misinformation and distrust of institutions remain widespread.
Local leaders said many residents still believe Ebola is either exaggerated or fabricated by foreign organisations and hospitals for financial gain. According to officials, two treatment tents were completely destroyed in the fire, along with a body that had been prepared for a safe burial. Initial fears that several patients may have escaped during the violence were later denied by aid group Alima, which said all patients had been accounted for and remained under medical care.
The latest Ebola outbreak has already killed more than 130 people in eastern Congo, though officials have released varying figures. While the World Health Organization recently reported 139 deaths and nearly 600 suspected cases, Congolese authorities have cited even higher numbers. The outbreak has been linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is currently no approved vaccine.
The WHO has warned that developing an effective vaccine could take several months, making containment efforts even more difficult. The crisis has also begun spreading beyond the initial outbreak zone.
Cases have already been detected in neighbouring Uganda, prompting authorities there to suspend transport links across parts of the border. Concerns are also rising after the first Ebola case was reported in South Kivu, a region partly controlled by the rebel group M23.
Health experts warn that ongoing conflict, weak healthcare infrastructure and public distrust could significantly worsen the outbreak if awareness campaigns and containment measures fail to reach affected communities quickly.
