A senior official in the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s ruling party was fatally attacked on Sunday following a radio appearance where he sought to raise awareness about the ongoing Ebola outbreak. Marie-Celestin Karondwa, the acting president of the Union for Democracy and Social Progress (UDPS) party’s federal executive committee in Butembo, was reportedly beaten, robbed, and had his home set on fire before succumbing to his injuries.

The attack took place soon after Karondwa participated in a radio program promoting prevention measures against Ebola in Butembo, an area that has recently become a focal point in the fight against the virus. The UDPS described Karondwa as an "innocent victim" targeted for defending the party’s stance on the existence and threat of Ebola. The party has not provided information about the perpetrators, the number of assailants involved, or their motivations.

This incident is part of a troubling pattern of violence directed at health workers, local officials, and treatment centers amid the outbreak, which experts attribute to widespread misinformation and distrust toward health responders. Such incidents have included physical assaults, riots, damage to property, and disruptions to essential health services. On Saturday, armed assailants attacked a hand-washing checkpoint in Beni Territory, killing at least one person, highlighting the volatile environment in affected regions.

Ebola virus disease, first identified in 1976 in what is now the DRC, is a highly contagious and frequently fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids or contaminated objects. The virus causes severe symptoms including organ failure, blood vessel damage, and in some cases, internal and external bleeding. The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo species, a rare strain for which no known treatments or vaccines exist.

The outbreak was officially declared on May 15 and, according to the DRC’s health ministry, has since infected 8,067 individuals and claimed 3,901 lives as of Saturday. It is the deadliest and most widespread Ebola outbreak in the country’s history and ranks second globally only to the 2014-2016 West African epidemic, which resulted in more than 28,600 infections and over 11,000 deaths. Efforts to control the virus continue amid ongoing security challenges and community resistance in the region.