Guinean security forces break up riot in Ebola-racked south
CONAKRY (Reuters) - Riots broke
out in Guinea's second-largest city Nzerekore over rumours that health
workers had infected people with the deadly Ebola virus, a Red Cross
official and residents said on Friday.
A crowd of
young men, some armed with clubs and knives, set up barricades across
the southern city on Thursday and threatened to attack the hospital
before security forces moved in to restore order.
Gunshots were fired and several people were injured, said Youssouf Traore, president of the Guinean Red Cross.
"A rumour, which was totally false, spread that we had sprayed the
market in order to transmit the virus to locals," Traore said. "People
revolted and resorted to violence, prompting soldiers to intervene."
Local Red Cross workers had to flee to the military camp with their medical equipment.Another resident said the security forces were preventing people leaving their neighbourhoods overnight.
The highly contagious Ebola virus was first reported in southeastern Guinea in March and to date has killed more than 1,500 people in the worst outbreak in history.
More than 400 people have died in Guinea, although the rate of infection is slower than in neighbouring Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Conakry says it has controlled the epidemic but has expressed concern
over rising cases in the southern border region, which it blames on
victims spilling over from neighbouring countries in search of better
treatment.
The Guinean
government's last health report for 26 August showed there were 12
suspected, probable and confirmed Ebola cases in Nzerekore.
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