Arsonists torch more Ebola clinics as misinformation spirals in DRC

Two more Ebola treatment facilities have reportedly been burned down in recent days as health officials struggle to overcome violent public mistrust of medical teams. At least a dozen facilities have now been attacked since Congo declared its Ebola outbreak amid fear, misinformation and suspicion of outside authorities. The outbreak is the fastest growing on record and officials said the virus had now killed more than 1,500 people. The official death toll from the outbreak centred on the north eastern Ituri province of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has risen by 500 in only a week. Sources told the Telegraph the large jump in deaths was largely caused by a “data harmonisation exercise” between different regions, and the new deaths may not have all happened in the past week. However, the daily confirmed toll has also continued to climb sharply with the latest government update reporting 50 people dying in the previous 24 hours. Airfinity, a health analytics firm, said the outbreak “continues to outpace detection and the response” and there is a high chance of it spreading further inside DRC.