EBOLA HEALTH TEAM FOUND DEAD

A Guinean government spokesperson has told Reuters that eight people, including health workers and three journalists, have been found dead.



The team, which had been spreading health information on Ebola was allegedly attacked while working near the city of Nzerekore. 

The group had been stoned on Tuesday and then went missing, according to the Guardian. 

They were believed to be held captive.

The Guardian reported that their messages about Ebola had been met by hostile residents.

Some people believed they were actually in Guinea to spread the disease and apparently this is not the first time public health workers have been attacked during the epidemic. 

Aid workers, including members of Doctors without Borders and the Red Cross, have reported that fear of the virus or the belief foreigners are giving people the illness have spurred locals to attack health teams or run away at their sight.

Part of this reaction is the result of the fact that this is the first time the virus has surfaced in West Africa, where many people had no idea about Ebola before this year. 

Spreading public health messages has been extremely challenging in an environment with low health literacy and public trust in officials.

In Liberia, distrust in the government led some people to think Ebola is a government scam to attract international aid.