DRC: Ebola Disbelief Prolongs Epidemic

Health workers and researchers working in the Democratic Republic of Congo have said that Ebola disbelief amongst the population is prolonging the epidemic.

According to a recent study, more than a quarter of people surveyed in Ebola-hit areas of the DRC told researchers that they do not believe the disease exists.

These respondents reportedly believe that the Ebola epidemic has been fabricated in order to destabilise the country.

According to lead researcher, Patrick Vinck: “This means people are not taking patients to an Ebola centre and not reporting the disease to professionals, which has a direct influence on the risk of transmission.”

Fewer than two-thirds of people questioned in the survey said they would take a vaccine for Ebola.

According to the DRC Health Ministry, the current outbreak began in August last year, and more than 600 people have died.

Since then, more than 1 000 people have contracted the virus during the current outbreak, which is the second-largest ever recorded.