Chaos erupted at the central Ebola outbreak hospital in Congo after the family of a deceased young man became upset when officials prohibited them from taking the body for burial. A crowd stormed in, throwing objects and setting fire to the patient isolation tent, while police had to fire warning shots to disperse the situation.
On 23 May 2026, a riot occurred at Rwambara Hospital near the city of Bunia, Ituri Province, in eastern Congo, the center of the Ebola outbreak. The unrest followed the family and friends of a young man, believed to have died from Ebola, expressing anger after officials refused to let them take the body for a private burial ceremony.
Local politician Luk Malembe Malembe, who witnessed the event, said the crowd began throwing objects at the hospital before setting fire to the tent used for isolating Ebola patients. Amid the chaos, police fired shots into the air to disperse the crowd. Healthcare workers were injured by thrown stones before security forces regained control.
The incident resulted in the destruction by fire of two patient tents and bodies prepared for burial. Initial reports indicated that six patients may have fled during the unrest, but the Alima medical organization managing the tents later confirmed that all patients were accounted for and receiving hospital care.
Health officials explained that bodies of Ebola victims remain highly infectious and must be buried safely following strict protocols to control the outbreak. Medical staff at the hospital are now under military protection following the incident.
Jean Claude Mukendi, the security coordinator for Ebola response in Ituri Province, said the deceased was a local footballer and a well-known community figure. Many people still do not understand the severity of the disease, and his mother believed he died from typhoid fever, not Ebola. Local politicians noted some residents believe Ebola is fabricated by foreign organizations and hospitals to generate money.
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that this outbreak is an international public health emergency but has not reached pandemic status. The latest figures report between 139 and 159 deaths in Congo among approximately 600 suspected cases. Cases have also been identified in neighboring Uganda.
This outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare variant for which no vaccine currently exists. WHO notes that vaccine development may take up to nine months to complete.
. Source: BBC