{"id":555685,"date":"2026-07-18T07:11:13","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T07:11:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/555685\/"},"modified":"2026-07-18T07:11:13","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T07:11:13","slug":"un-warns-transporting-ebola-victims-bodies-could-trigger-new-outbreaks-in-congo-ethealthworld","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/555685\/","title":{"rendered":"UN Warns Transporting Ebola Victims’ Bodies Could Trigger New Outbreaks in Congo, ETHealthworld"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"\/Geneva: The transport of Ebola victims’ bodies between different areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo<\/a>, often for funerals in their home communities, risks further spreading the virus, the U.N. migration agency said on Friday.<\/p>\n

More than 2,000 Ebola cases and 700 deaths have been recorded in Congo and neighbouring Uganda as of July 14, and around two-thirds of the deaths occurred outside clinics or hospitals, the International Organization for Migration said, \u200cmaking it harder \u2060to \u2060control burials.<\/p>\n

The often fatal viral disease spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids from infected people or animals, and causes symptoms \u200bthat can include high fever, vomiting and internal and external bleeding. This particular epidemic is caused by the Bundibugyo \u200bstrain of the virus.<\/p>\n

Ebola remains highly infectious after death, making funeral practices a critical component of outbreak control.<\/p>\n

“If we don’t really manage the dead bodies well, if we don’t engage the community … then it \u200bmeans there will be more spread within the community,” said \u2060Andrew Mbala from \u200cIOM.<\/p>\n

IOM officials said the transport of bodies across districts was a particular \u200bchallenge as families \u200bseek to bury relatives in their home communities.<\/p>\n

“There hasn’t been any crossing of \u2060dead bodies to another country, but we have seen a lot \u200bof crossings of dead bodies within the country,” said Mbala.<\/p>\n

During the IOM’s \u200bEbola surveillance activities at points of entry and crossings into different health control zones within the country, 105 bodies were intercepted.<\/p>\n

Such movement risks carrying the virus into new areas if bodies are not handled safely, the IOM warned.<\/p>\n

The bodies were referred for sample collection and investigation, and then handed over to a team to ensure their safe and dignified burial, the IOM said.<\/p>\n

Mbala cited one case in \u200cwhich a body was moved from one area to another, contributing to infections in the newly affected Tshopo province.<\/p>\n

“The outbreak has grown by approximately 70% in just two \u200bweeks, with an \u200baverage of more than 40 \u2060new cases reported each day,” IOM Regional Director Frantz Celestin said.<\/p>\n

The U.N. agency officials said community resistance is hampering efforts to ensure safe burials. Teams responsible for handling bodies and conducting burials have faced \u200bopposition and, in some cases, attacks.<\/p>\n

“We have seen that in the community there is an element of resistance during the burials,” Mbala said.<\/p>\n

World Health Organization officials said that for those infected with Ebola in the country, four out of five of their identified contacts were now being monitored, but one in five still cannot be traced, often because insecurity or community distrust prevents health workers from reaching them.\n <\/p>\n

Published On Jul 18, 2026 at 07:28 AM IST<\/p>\n

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