Yuma Adolphe and his team have one of the most difficult jobs in the fight against Ebola in Congo's Ituri province, the epicenter of the country's deadliest outbreak of the disease. They are responsible for ensuring that those who die from Ebola receive safe and dignified burials, a task that requires them to dig graves, prepare bodies and handle coffins almost every day.
But as authorities struggle to contain the outbreak, which has killed nearly 3,200 people among more than 6,600 confirmed cases, the burial teams say they are reaching their limits. Their workload is growing, while hostility and fear in affected communities make an already dangerous job even harder.
"It is difficult, but we try to push ourselves beyond our limits," Adolphe told The Associated Press (AP).
Since the outbreak began in mid-May, authorities have deployed small burial teams like Adolphe's to Ebola hotspots, where they work on the front lines of efforts to contain the rapidly spreading disease. The workers are paid $20 a day for handling some of the most dangerous and emotionally difficult tasks in the response.
Despite the exhaustion and risks, members of the burial teams say they remain committed to protecting their communities, knowing that safe burials are essential to preventing further transmission of the virus.
