Health Officials Warn Against Touching Ebola Victims' Bodies Amid Outbreak

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has highlighted that the bodies of Ebola victims remain highly contagious after death, as bodily fluids—including sweat and saliva—contain a very high viral load.

Laura Archer, responsible for clinical care and public health emergencies at the Federation, stated that anyone who touches a body during transport, washing, or preparation for burial faces a "very high risk of contracting the virus."

The danger is particularly acute in communities where rituals involve washing and touching the deceased during farewell ceremonies, making unsafe burial practices a leading cause of virus transmission during Ebola outbreaks.

Recently, tensions escalated when protesters set fire to tents designated for Ebola patients after authorities refused to release the body of a local football player who died from the virus. His family insisted on burying him themselves, rejecting the cause of death as Ebola.

The Federation reports that response teams have conducted 15 "safe and dignified" burials in affected areas so far, focusing on persuading families to adhere to strict preventive measures to halt the spread of infection.

Health officials warn that rumors and misinformation continue to obstruct containment efforts, especially as some residents persist in believing the virus is fabricated, complicating the enforcement of safe burial and medical handling protocols for victims.

Conflict Challenges Ebola Containment Efforts

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned on Wednesday that ongoing warfare in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo significantly hampers efforts to contain the deadly Ebola outbreak, calling for an immediate ceasefire.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on the platform X that "eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is now facing a disaster characterized by a collision between disease and conflict, as the Ebola outbreak in Ituri province overwhelms response capacity."

He reiterated that the Ebola strain circulating in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Beni and Butembo regions "has no approved vaccine or treatment."

Tedros lamented that the fighting "causes mass displacement, forces contacts into overcrowded camps, and disrupts vital containment routes."

He warned that frontline workers "risk everything," while attacks on health facilities make tracking cases and contacts nearly impossible.

"We cannot build community trust or isolate patients while bombs are falling," he added.

Tedros urged all warring parties to agree on an immediate ceasefire to contain the outbreak and enable safe, sustainable access for medical teams.

He called for prioritizing human survival above all else.