Ebola Burial Team Attacked in Eastern DR Congo Amid Rising Outbreak

An Ebola burial team was attacked in South Kivu, DR Congo, forcing abandonment of a body amid rising insecurity and mistrust that is complicating efforts to contain an outbreak that has already spread across multiple provinces.

Residents in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s South Kivu province attacked an Ebola burial team this week, forcing responders to abandon a coffin and raising concerns about possible further transmission, according to the health ministry.

The incident occurred on Monday in Katana, a town reportedly under AFC/M23 rebel control, about 30 km north of Bukavu. The team targeted was a “safe and dignified burial team,” made up of trained specialists handling highly infectious bodies under strict protocols designed to prevent the spread of disease.

After the attack, community members took over handling the body, a practice considered extremely high risk as it can trigger new chains of infection, according to a situation report published on Wednesday. Officials did not give details on what caused the violence.

The ministry and a hospital official said the incident reflects ongoing mistrust and resistance that is complicating Ebola response efforts. Similar attacks have recently been reported against burial teams and health workers, including in Bunia, Ituri province, where at least four people were injured in an assault at a cemetery.

Health authorities say Congo is currently facing its 17th Ebola outbreak, with 363 confirmed cases and 62 deaths recorded since May 15. The most recent update reported 19 new cases and two additional deaths, with infections now spread across multiple health zones in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces.

The International Organization for Migration is helping establish 30 health checkpoints across affected areas to monitor movement and contain the spread. Authorities also reported some progress, including 32 monitored contacts in Ituri who completed the 21-day observation period without infection, and the planned discharge of a recovered patient in Goma.

Humanitarian supplies, including enough kits for 300 safe burials, continue to arrive in the region as response efforts intensify.