Health workers in eastern Congo are facing a growing crisis. For the second time in a week, an Ebola treatment center has been attacked and set on fire.
Angry residents in the town of Mongbwalu torched a tent used by Doctors Without Borders for suspected and confirmed Ebola cases. No one was hurt in the fire, but the chaos led to the escape of 18 patients with suspected infections. They are now unaccounted for.
This follows a similar attack in Rwampara, where a treatment center was burned down after family members were barred from retrieving a body. The attacks highlight deep mistrust between communities and health workers. The World Health Organization now labels the outbreak a "very high" risk for Congo, up from "high."
A rare strain of Ebola, the Bundibugyo virus, is spreading undetected. There is no available vaccine. Over 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected deaths have been reported, with the actual number believed to be much higher.
In response, the U.S. has barred green card holders who have been in Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan from reentering the country. The restriction aims to ensure proper screening and monitoring for U.S. citizens.