As Ebola virus disease sweeps through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the surrounding region, healthcare workers aren’t just battling a deadly virus strain with a mortality rate of up to 50%. Misinformation, rumors and skepticism unfortunately are also spreading rapidly across central Africa, putting the lives of community members, patients and healthcare workers in danger. …
The misinformation fueling these attacks includes whispers that Ebola isn’t a real disease but rather a hoax created by humanitarians who want to take people’s land or resources. When patients with Ebola go into an ETC and never reemerge because they’ve passed away and it’s unsafe for their bodies to be returned to their families, some people even spread rumors that they were killed for their organs.
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Between misinformation and stigma, many people with Ebola symptoms won’t seek the treatment they need, remaining instead in their communities—where they are at greater risk of death and of spreading the virus to their family and friends.
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To learn more, read Viewpoint: Weaponizing misinformation
