Ebola misinformation is fuelling attacks on health workers in DR Congo
Health workers in the Democratic Republic of Congo are facing violent attacks fueled by misinformation regarding the current Ebola outbreak. Rumors claiming the disease is a hoax or a money-making scheme have led to assaults on medical staff and the destruction of treatment facilities.
Why it matters
Misinformation campaigns significantly hinder public health efforts, increasing mortality rates and endangering the lives of essential humanitarian workers.
By Marco Silva , BBC Verify and Peter Mwai , BBC Verify Published 9 July 2026, 06:02 BST "They grabbed me from behind and started punching me, hitting me with spades and machetes," says Daniel Uyirwoth Welo, one of four Red Cross volunteers injured when a crowd tried to open a coffin carrying someone who had died from Ebola.
The article relies on verified reporting and eyewitness accounts to document a public health crisis without injecting political opinion.
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