Five prisoners showing symptoms of Ebola have escaped from custody in the Ituri province of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
According to Radio Okapi, citing sources, the symptoms were detected in five inmates of Bunya Central Prison last weekend. Health authorities ordered their immediate transfer to prevent the spread of infection: two were taken to Bunya Hospital, while the other three were sent to a treatment center in Tsvampara.
Police officers, fearing infection, did not assign guards. This allowed two prisoners to escape on the night of May 30-31, and on the morning of June 1, the other three from Tsvampara joined them.
Local authorities are searching for the escaped individuals. According to the DRC Ministry of Health, 363 Ebola cases have been confirmed, with 116 in quarantine and 62 deaths.
