How disinformation in Congo is worsening Ebola epidemic
Key takeaways
- The deadly Ebola variant isn't the only thing causing concern for health workers in Congo.
- And yet: "The community does not believe in this disease.
- "We initially thought of malaria, typhoid or diarrheal diseases.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
The deadly Ebola variant isn't the only thing causing concern for health workers in Congo. Rumors and disinformation are hindering efforts to contain the virus. The patterns are well-known — and could be confronted.
https://p.dw.com/p/5Eu Bt Even though people are dying from Ebola, many in Mongbwalu still don't believe in the disease Image: Gradel Muyisa Mumbere/REUTERSAdvertisement Three weeks since the start of the latest Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the facts are: 397 confirmed cases, including 63 confirmed deaths, according to the latest figures reported by the African Union's Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
And yet: "The community does not believe in this disease. Despite the deaths, people don't believe in it," said John Tumujimbe, head of a team for dignified and safe burials in the small town of Mongbwalu. It's one of the epicenters of the Ebola epidemic in the Congo's northeastern Ituri province.