Do You Know? Marie-Celestin Karondwa, a senior member of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s ruling party, died after an attack that followed his appearance on a radio programme about Ebola prevention, according to his party.
What happened
Karondwa, the acting president of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party’s federal executive committee in Butembo, was attacked on Sunday after taking part in a radio show about measures to prevent the spread of Ebola, the party’s city federation said in a statement reported by Reuters.
The party said the attackers beat Karondwa, stole his belongings and set his house on fire. It said he later died from his injuries.
The identity of the attackers, the number of people involved and the motive were not immediately clear, according to the report.
The UDPS federation described Karondwa as an “innocent victim” for defending the party’s position on the existence of Ebola and the threat it poses to the population.
Wider violence linked to the outbreak
Karondwa’s death follows attacks on healthcare workers and Ebola treatment centres in the area. Experts cited in the report said rumours, misinformation and distrust of health responders had fuelled violence, riots, property damage and the disruption of essential services.
On Saturday, armed men attacked a hand-washing checkpoint in the nearby Beni territory, killing at least one person and wounding several others, according to a local civil society group.
The outbreak’s reported impact
The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, which the report said has no approved treatment or vaccine. It was first announced on 15 May.
According to data from the DRC’s health ministry cited in the report, the outbreak had infected 8,067 people and killed 3,901. Cases had been confirmed in seven provinces.
The report said the outbreak was the largest and deadliest in the DRC’s history. It also said Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention data showed it had outpaced the 2014–16 Ebola outbreak in west Africa, which infected more than 28,600 people and killed more than 11,000.
The World Health Organization warned last month that the outbreak was on track to surpass the west African outbreak, according to the report. Experts said conflict, aid cuts and attacks on healthcare workers and treatment centres had intensified the disease’s spread.
Why it matters
Violence against health workers and facilities can disrupt disease-control efforts and essential services, while distrust and misinformation can make it harder for communities to engage with responders. The attack on Karondwa also highlights the risks faced by people publicly supporting Ebola prevention measures, although the motive for the attack had not been established.
What happens next
The source report did not provide details of an investigation, arrests or official statements identifying those responsible for Karondwa’s death. It also did not say whether authorities had announced new security or public-health measures after the attack.
Bottom Line
A DRC ruling-party official died after being attacked following a radio appearance about Ebola prevention, according to his party. The killing occurred amid wider violence and distrust affecting the response to a severe outbreak.
Source
This report is based on information published by The Guardian World.
