June 05, 2026
Residents attacked an Ebola burial team in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo's South Kivu province this week, forcing responders to abandon a coffin and raising fears of further transmission, the health ministry said.
The assault took place on Monday in Katana, a town controlled by AFC/M23 rebels some 30km (19 miles) north of the provincial capital Bukavu, according to the ministry and the head of a local hospital reached by Reuters.
It targeted a "safe and dignified burial team" -- specialised responders trained to handle highly infectious bodies under strict protocols to prevent contagion.
The body was subsequently handled by members of the community, a high-risk practice that can fuel new chains of infection, according to a situation report published online on Wednesday.
