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A village chief in Congo works to overcome Ebola prejudice even as the disease kills his relatives

Congo's Ministry of Health reported this week that the Ebola outbreak has surpassed 10,000 confirmed cases, with over 4,800 deaths, as the virus spreads rapidly through North Kivu province.
Widespread mistrust of authorities has hampered response efforts, as misinformation leads many to attribute Ebola symptoms to poisoning or witchcraft rather than disease in communities enduring years of violence.
After losing four family members to the virus, Achou Taibo advocates for testing and treatment despite local hostility, having successfully helped eleven other relatives survive by taking them to Beni's General Reference Hospital.
Last Saturday, Oct. 24, a nurse was killed and another health worker injured while responding to an Ebola alert in Tshopo province, the World Health Organization reported.
Government data from early October indicated that more than 70% of new cases occurred outside known contact lists, while at least 60% of deaths happened outside treatment centers, as ongoing conflict restricts worker access.

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