Armed militants linked to the Islamic State group have raided a village in North Kivu province in the Democratic Republic of Congo, forcing Ebola patients to flee a hospital, according to a report published on Sunday.
Authorities said the militants set fire to several houses and killed civilians. The report does not name the authorities or give a death toll.
Patients flee
An unnamed doctor said one patient fled and five others with symptoms also left the hospital after the violence. It is not yet clear where they went or whether they have been traced.
Outbreak context
The report says North Kivu accounts for about half of Congo's new Ebola outbreaks. Earlier this week, Insight Factor reported that confirmed Ebola cases in the DRC had passed 10,600 and deaths 5,100, citing a European agency.
Patients leaving care mid-illness are a concern for outbreak responders because they can make it harder to trace contacts and contain spread.
What we do not yet know
- The number of civilians killed and the name of the village.
- Whether the patients who fled have been found and returned to care.
- Whether the attack has disrupted wider Ebola response work in the area.
