Ebola Burial Team Struggles

Congo Ebola Burial Teams Battle Community Anger and Fear of Infection

Congo's Ebola burial teams are dealing with community anger, fatigue, and fear of infection. The teams are responsible for the safe and dignified burial of people who die from Ebola in Ituri, the epicenter of history's deadliest outbreak. The outbreak, which has killed nearly 3,200 people and resulted in over 6,500 cases, has led to increased workload and hostile communities. Since May, health workers and burial teams have been attacked by bereaved families across the front line of the outbreak. Despite the death toll, the team members say their priority is to protect their community. The Ebola outbreak is spreading across six provinces in eastern Congo and has been complicated by the lack of an approved vaccine for the rare Ebola virus causing it.

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