The rare Bundibugyo type of Ebola in Congo has taken locals by surprise, spreading unnoticed for weeks.
As of Wednesday, at least 62 people had died from 363 confirmed cases, yet the outbreak has been challenged by skepticism, attacks on health workers, and misinformation.
Vérité Johnson, a journalist at Radio Télévision Mont Bleu, produced a new program to combat rumors, featuring health specialists and reminding people of the dangers.
The show has emerged as a vital tool to win over residents who have been unaware or skeptical about the facts of Bundibugyo.
Resistance to protocols during public health emergencies is common in Congo, where there is no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo type of Ebola.
Widespread rumors discourage residents from adhering to health warnings or seeking medical help, health officials say.
Analysts say some people in Congo have been receptive to disinformation due to mistrust of the healthcare system and because some local officials have not become actively involved in containing the disease.
Ituri province residents have launched attacks against health centers, demanding the bodies of deceased patients, and some people who are believed to have Ebola left the centers during the attacks.
The virus has rapidly spread from an initial three health zones to 24, and experts and WHO officials have warned the numbers might not reflect the true scale of the epidemic.
