Nurse killed in attack responding to Ebola alert in Congo

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 26 Oct, 01:01 · Archive

A nurse has been killed and a health worker severely injured in an attack while responding to an Ebola alert in eastern Congo.

A nurse was killed and a health worker severely injured on Saturday after being attacked whilst responding to an Ebola alert in Bafwasende, a town in Congo's eastern Tshopo province, according to the World Health Organization. WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and regional director Dr. Mohamed Yakub Janabi both condemned the attack, with Janabi stating that 'misinformation and fear must never fuel violence'. Local authorities have not yet commented on the attack or the suspects.

This is the latest in a series of attacks on health workers that authorities say is hampering efforts to contain the outbreak. Since May, the country's health ministry has recorded more than 9,800 cases and more than 4,700 deaths, making it the deadliest Ebola outbreak in Congo's history. Last month, a Congolese politician was beaten to death in North Kivu after publicly defending the government's response and calling on people to obey preventive measures such as social distancing and handwashing.

Resistance to response measures stems partly from widespread distrust of the government due to how it has managed past Ebola outbreaks and chronic corruption. Some residents dismiss Ebola as a hoax, leading them to resist the authorities' village-centred approach to fighting the outbreak.

How it is being reported

• Attackers kill nurse, severely injure health worker responding to Ebola case in eastern CongoThe World Health Organization reports that a nurse has been killed and a health worker severely injured in an attack while responding to an Ebola alert in Congo.News4Jax · 26 Oct, 00:01
• Attackers kill nurse, severely injure health worker responding to Ebola case in eastern CongoThe World Health Organization reports that a nurse has been killed and a health worker severely injured in an attack while responding to an Ebola alert in Congo.Clickorlando · 26 Oct, 00:01

In this story: Congo · Tshopo province · Bafwasende · World Health Organization · North Kivu · Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus · Mohamed Yakub Janabi

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem