Search for escaped Ebola patients in DR Congo

One police officer was killed and four Ebola patients are missing after the treatment centre they were in was attacked on Wednesday night in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

This is the second such attack in just three days by unknown assailants. In both cases, they set the treatment centres on fire and destroyed equipment.

The four missing Ebola patients who ran away from the treatment centre in Butembo would be highly infectious. DR Congo’s Ministry of Health says it is searching for them.

A further people 32 suspected to be carrying the virus also escaped when the armed attackers set the facility on fire.

It is not yet clear if the attackers wanted to free them.

Health workers have struggled to win the trust of local communities. More than 550 people have died from Ebola so far, making it the second largest ever.

The outbreak shows no sign of ending soon. The government says it will now send military officers to guard such facilities. Dozens of armed groups are active in the area affected by the outbreak.

Source: BBC