Congo Ebola Outbreak: 20 cases confirmed, residents resist treatment

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Moving to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where health workers have been trying to control an Ebola outbreak. But in the city of Beni, residents are not quite on board, as they are having a hard time believing the deadly virus has hit again. Sam Holder reports.

Simple precautions against Ebola in Congo.

But health-workers in Beni are facing resistance from local residents who are refusing to accept the disease has arrived in their city near the Ugandan border.

In fact, 20 cases have been confirmed among the two hundred thousand strong population.

BERTANT BENI RESIDENT "Personally, I haven't seen one case of Ebola. They say people are dying here in this city - 17 or 20 people - but I haven't seen anything yet. It's wrong. There is nothing here. They take people who have a small fever, get them to hospital and then they die. We don't understand. I still haven't seen any Ebola here."

What they're not seeing are images like these from elsewhere in North Kivu.Doctors say Ebola has killed 89 in Congo since July. And recently 2 died in nearby Butembo - an important trading hub. Dashing hopes the latest outbreak was being contained. Back in Beni many teachers are staying away from school to avoid infection. But not all.

KIYOMA KASIMU SCHOOL TEACHER "We force the children to clean their hands to fight against Ebola. we have to tell the children to wash their hands before entering the compound and before entering the classroom."

The Health Ministry has identified Beni as a new Ebola flashpoint. Along with Butembo - home to more than a million people. Officials are urging strict hygiene regimes.

But many aren't listening - including taxi drivers who ferry passengers from city to city.