Humanitarian workers are struggling to calm community fears in strife-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where 125 people have died of Ebola, and cases of the virus are spreading fast. The authorities in Beni have announced measures to protect health workers after a number of incidents where response teams were assaulted. Fears and misconceptions about the virus have led to widespread mistrust and resistance to Ebola response workers, including those who come into communities wearing hazmat suits to orchestrate burials. – Red Cross workers injured –Two Red Cross volunteers were seriously injured when they were attacked during the burial of a suspected Ebola victim last week. “It is not unusual for us to experience these kind of difficulties,” he told AFP, adding that much of his organisation’s work involved engaging with community members to build acceptance of the Ebola response work.

Source: Punch October 12, 2018 14:15 UTC