An overnight attack in Cantine, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, killed at least 33 people and forced 180 patients to leave a hospital, disrupting care for suspected and confirmed Ebola cases.
Col. Charles Omeonga, Beni’s territorial administrator, told Reuters that Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) fighters killed civilians and set houses on fire. Justin Paluku, a local civil-society leader, told The Associated Press that his group counted 33 bodies and found more than 50 houses set on fire.
Tchetche Aliamini, another local civil-society leader, confirmed the toll to Reuters. He said most victims had gunshot wounds; others were burned or hacked with machetes.
Christian Kakule, medical director of Kelekele Hospital Centre, said 180 patients left the facility. They included people with suspected Ebola and one confirmed case. Kakule said all high-risk contacts and others under monitoring had fled.
Kakule warned that probable cases outside medical care could spread the disease. He also said gunfire and burning homes came within 50 meters of the hospital.
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded more than 10,000 Ebola cases and 5,300 deaths across the country.
