Machete-wielding mob attack health workers responding to Ebola in Congo

In eastern Congo, a group of machete-wielding youths attacked two community health workers who were raising awareness about the Ebola outbreak. The attack resulted in the death of an experienced nurse and the wounding of a colleague, a teacher. The nurse was a well-known figure in the community and was recently assigned to help dispel misinformation about the deadly virus in the area.

The attack occurred on Friday after the workers stopped to check on a lot of land, where a group of people building a home accused them of spreading the disease through contaminated water. The misinformation was a significant factor in provoking the attack. The outbreak is ongoing in eight provinces of Congo, with a total of 9,964 confirmed cases and a 48.6% fatality rate.

Health workers in the affected area have been targeted in various attacks, including the burning of a health worker's house and the killing of another worker days before this incident. The UN Ebola coordinator expressed shock at the killing of the nurse and emphasized the impact on both the response efforts and patients.