Nurse killed in DR Congo attack linked to Ebola rumours

A nurse was killed and another Ebola responder seriously injured in an attack in Bafwasende, in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, after local youths reportedly accused health workers of spreading the disease by contaminating water sources. The violence has prompted condemnation and renewed calls to protect people working to contain the outbreak.

The attack took place on October 24 in Tshopo province, according to local reporting and an account from World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. The WHO described the victims as responding to an Ebola alert, while local accounts provided differing details about their movements before the assault.

Radio Okapi reported that health and administrative authorities categorically rejected the contamination accusations, describing them as rumours. Its account said police intervened to rescue a seriously injured teacher who had also been targeted after being accused of involvement with the nurse.

Local news outlet Actualite.cd identified the injured man as a primary school director involved in the Ebola response. Citing Bafwasende's chief health officer, it reported that the two victims were returning from their fields when they were attacked near the general hospital. The nurse died at the scene, according to that account.

The killing has drawn concern from international officials supporting the response. Tedros condemned the attack and stressed that people protecting communities from Ebola must be able to work safely. WHO Africa regional director Mohamed Yakub Janabi also denounced the violence, warning against allowing misinformation and fear to drive attacks.

The United Nations office coordinating the Ebola response called for a thorough investigation, according to a statement reported by Actualite.cd. It urged communities to protect health professionals and allow them to carry out their work without threats. The appeal placed worker safety alongside the immediate need to establish exactly what happened.

The violence comes as Bafwasende's health services face continuing challenges in managing infections. Radio Okapi, citing local health sources, reported 19 Ebola cases in the health zone, including nine deaths and five recoveries. Two patients remained in specialised care, while three people who tested positive had reportedly left treatment facilities.

Bafwasende's chief health officer also described other recent attacks in comments to Actualite.cd, including the burning of a community health worker's home and an assault on a nurse's child. He warned that insecurity could drive away organisations supporting the response and appealed for stronger protection from provincial authorities.

Those accounts point to a practical danger beyond the immediate casualties: response teams cannot maintain their work if staff and community partners are afraid of being attacked. Local health authorities have emphasised cooperation with medical teams, preventive measures and verified information, warning that rumours can obstruct efforts to control the disease.

Radio Okapi reported that a local security council met on October 25 to assess the incident and consider measures to prevent further violence. Police were seeking to identify the attackers and suspected instigators. The next steps outlined by authorities centre on that investigation, protecting responders and rebuilding cooperation with residents.