An Ebola treatment center in the epicenter of the deadly outbreak in eastern Congo was set on fire Thursday after angry residents clashed with authorities over the body of a suspected victim.

Rwampara Hospital was attacked by local youths attempting to retrieve the body of a friend who had reportedly died of Ebola, a witness told The Associated Press.

«The police intervened to try to calm the situation, but unfortunately they were unsuccessful,» Alexis Burata, a local student who said he was in the area, told the outlet. «The young people ended up setting fire to the center. That’s the situation.»

The AP reported that people broke into the center and set fire to objects inside. A reporter also witnessed what appeared to be the body of at least one suspected Ebola victim being burned inside the facility.

EBOLA OUTBREAK REPORTED IN AFRICAN COUNTRY — HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) said two tents used to treat Ebola patients were set on fire at the hospital. The organization said six people were receiving treatment for Ebola at the center.

Patrick Muyaya, a government spokesperson for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said medical care was continuing normally and all six patients were accounted for.

He called for calm while condemning violence against health facilities and medical staff.

WHO DECLARES EBOLA OUTBREAK IN CENTRAL AFRICA A PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY AFTER 80 SUSPECTED DEATHS

Flames and smoke rise from an Ebola treatment center in Rwampara, Congo, Thursday, May 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Dirole Lotsima Dieudonne)

Deputy Senior Commissioner Jean Claude Mukendi, head of the public security department in Ituri Province, said the individuals who burned the tents did not understand the protocols surrounding Ebola burials.

The incident underscored growing tensions between health officials enforcing strict Ebola containment measures and local customs surrounding funerals and burial rites.

«His family, friends, and other young people wanted to take his body home for a funeral even though the instructions from the authorities during this Ebola virus outbreak are clear,» Mukendi said. «All bodies must be buried according to the regulations.»

‘DISEASE X’ HAS KILLED DOZENS IN THE CONGO — HERE’S WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE MYSTERY ILLNESS

Charred hospital beds stand in smoldering Ebola treatment center in Rwampara, Congo, Thursday, May 21, 2026, after it was set fire by people angry at being stopped from retrieving a body, according to a witness and police. (AP Photo/Dirole Lotsima Dieudonne)

In its statement, ALIMA condemned the spread of «incorrect or unconfirmed information on social media and the internet,» warning that misinformation could fuel fear and mistrust toward health facilities.

The violent clash comes as Congolese health officials reported 160 suspected deaths and 671 suspected Ebola cases across two provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The United Nations said earlier this week that neighboring Uganda had reported two cases, including one death.

The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a public health emergency Sunday, and the U.S. issued an urgent travel warning for the DRC shortly afterward.

US ISSUES URGENT TRAVEL WARNING AS DEADLY EBOLA OUTBREAK SPREADS OVERSEAS

Congolese police personnel and civilians stand near the burning Ebola treatment center, as aid agencies intensify efforts to contain a new Ebola outbreak involving the Bundibugyo strain outbreak, in Rwampara general hospital in Rwampara outside Bunia, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo May 21, 2026. (REUTERS/Gradel Muyisa Mumbere)

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this week he was «deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic.»

Officials said the outbreak was caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a rarer variant for which existing vaccines may be less effective.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Nearly $4 million in emergency funding has been approved by the WHO to support national authorities responding to the outbreak.

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Rusia develó una nueva versión de su avión militar, el caza Sukhoi Su-57D, que ya hizo su primer vuelo de prueba y promete revolucionar la guerra aérea. El diferencial que prometen las autoridades rusas es que este caza de quinta generación permitirá el control a bordo de armas no tripuladas, como los drones.

Las primeras imágenes del prototipo del Su-57D fueron difundidas el martes por la Corporación Aeronáutica Unida (UAC, según sus siglas en inglés). La empresa de fabricación aeronáutica es propiedad de la corporación estatal Rostec y se encarga del diseño y manufactura de aviones militares de las fuerzas armadas de Rusia.

Sergéi Bogdan, jefe de la Oficina de Diseño Sukhoi y piloto de pruebas, condecorado además como Héroe de Rusia por el gobierno de Vladimir Putin en 2021, salió a bordo del primer avión Su-57D de quinta generación desde una base aérea de la ciudad de Komsomolsk del Amur, en el extremo oriente de Rusia, para poner a prueba el diseño de la nave.

El mismo Bogdan había sido quien, en enero de 2010, realizó el primer vuelo del primer caza ruso de combate de quinta generación, el T-50, predecesor del actual Su-75D.

Luego de completadas las pruebas, la UAC aseguró que el prototipo ya se encuentra disponible para ser utilizado como avión de entrenamiento de combate para la formación de pilotos o bien como avión de control de combate. Sobre este último aspecto estriba el principal activo del modelo biplaza: el Su-57D promete revolucionar la aviación militar al incorporar una plaza para un tripulante extra, el encargado de comandar naves no tripuladas, como drones, y otras novedosas armas de guerra.

«Han comenzado las pruebas de vuelo del prototipo del Su-57D, un caza biplaza de quinta generación. Este avión, desarrollado de forma independiente por nuestros fabricantes aeronáuticos, además de sus características de combate únicas, también poseerá las capacidades de un avión de entrenamiento de combate y de un avión de mando y control», declaró Denis Manturov, primer Viceprimer Ministro de Rusia.

Según las especificaciones oficiales, el nuevo modelo es un avión polivalente de primera línea, diseñado para realizar una amplia gama de misiones de combate. Puede atacar objetivos aéreos, terrestres y marítimos, operar las 24 horas del día, incluso en condiciones meteorológicas adversas y entornos con interferencias.

También, gracias a su baja detectabilidad, realizar misiones contra sistemas de defensa aérea modernos. Otras funciones son la supervisión de fusión de sensores o la dirección de operaciones de ataque autónomas.

La finalización del prototipo del Su-57D llevaba retrasada varios meses, fundamentalmente porque las autoridades militares y de la industria aeronáutica rusa priorizaban la producción y perfeccionamiento de aviones monoplaza básicos con vistas a la guerra contra Ucrania. Sin embargo, los recientes avistamientos de pruebas del biplaza chino Chengdu J-20S impulsaron el aceleramiento de las pruebas del Su-57D de la UAC.

La concepción de la nave se remonta a mediados de la década pasada, cuando se rubricó el acuerdo ruso-indio FGFA (o de Aviones de Combate de Quinta Generación, por sus siglas en inglés), que buscaba la colaboración entre el diseño ruso de una variante del Su-57 (a cargo de UAC) y la empresa india Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), que contribuiría en áreas como las pantallas de cabina, los sistemas de navegación, la informática a bordo y los sistemas de defensa.

Sin embargo, en 2018 la India se retiró del acuerdo con dudas respecto del cronograma de desarrollo del modelo. Ahora, ya con el Su-57D preparado para surcar los cielos, el gobierno de Argelia ya mostró interés en importar unidades para su fuerza aérea, una colaboración que permitiría perfeccionar las prestaciones de la aeronave.

«Seguimos trabajando para mejorar y ampliar las capacidades de nuestro complejo aeronáutico de quinta generación más avanzado. Confío en que la versión biplaza de la aeronave contribuirá significativamente a su éxito en los mercados extranjeros», declaró en esa línea Vadim Badeha, director ejecutivo de UAC.

Former Detroit Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan announced he is suspending his independent campaign for Michigan governor, turning the three-way contest to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer into a typical partisan race in the blue-trending state.

Duggan was a popular mayor of the Motor City who garnered sizable support in his first unsuccessful write-in campaign and forged relationships with key city stakeholders like Ford Motor Company Chairman Bill Ford Jr., an early backer of his gubernatorial bid.

As a former Democrat, conventional wisdom held that his presence hurt Democratic nominee Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, while his moderate positioning was also considered attractive to Republicans who otherwise might support GOP nominee Rep. John James.

NBC News reporter Henry Gomez said on X that Democrats had been «hitting him almost as hard as John James» and that the move was likely «welcome news» for the left in the Great Lakes State.

SWING STATE GOVERNOR’S RACE GETS CURVEBALL AS TOP DEM RUNS INDEPENDENT, SPARKING CALLS FOR BUTTIGIEG TO ENTER

«Dear Michigan, I’ve decided to suspend my campaign,» Duggan announced via public letter Thursday.

«We knew the independent route was filled with challenge. Even against those odds, the excitement for real change carried this campaign upward for more than a year,» he said.

Duggan dismissed claims he was trying to be a «spoiler» for either side and instead aimed to change the tenor of national politics.

«I’m still hopeful our campaign will prove to have a real long-term impact,» Duggan said.

«I will never be able to express the gratitude I feel for all your support and encouragement. I wish I could have done better for you.»

When he announced his run, Duggan pointed to his family history and his own political evolution as evidence a change is needed in government.

MICHIGAN DEMOCRAT QUITS POLITICS, SAYS PARTY’S AGENDA BETRAYED HER FAITH

He told BridgeDetroit his late father supported former President Ronald Reagan but wouldn’t recognize the Trump-led GOP — while Duggan himself admitted the Democratic Party he once knew to be an ally of the working class is sliding in that regard.

In one such instance, Democrats piled on Duggan for referring to people illicitly present in America as «illegal immigrants» instead of «undocumented.»

«If there was ever a time to give people a third choice, this would be the year,» he told the outlet.

Benson told Fox News Digital in a statement that Duggan brought civility to a body politic greatly needing it.

«I want to thank Mayor Mike Duggan for what he brought to this race and for his years of service to Detroit,» she said, noting how divided politics has become.

«I welcome Mayor Duggan’s ideas, his supporters, and everyone who believes Michigan’s future is bigger than division — and that it can be a place where anyone can afford to live, work, and thrive.»

REPUBLICANS HAVE CHANCE TO SECURE GOVERNORSHIPS IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATES NEXT YEAR

«We may not always agree on everything, but we share a commitment to building a stronger Michigan. And that work continues in this campaign,» Benson concluded.

Fox News Digital also reached out to James’ campaign.

In a statement on social media, the Republican said he wanted to thank Duggan for years of service to Michigan and its largest city.

«I respect anyone willing to step into the arena and serve something bigger than themselves. While we have real disagreements on policy, we both recognize Michigan is headed in the wrong direction,» he said, opening the door to working with the former Democrat if he so desired.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

«Our state has endured too much decline and political dysfunction. I’m ready to work with anyone willing to deliver real solutions, reject the politics of division, and fight for safer communities, stronger families and economic growth — our state’s future is too important for anything less.»

While Trump narrowly won Michigan in breaking the proverbial «blue wall» for the second time in three attempts in 2024, the state has reliably chosen Democrats in other statewide races, including Whitmer, Sen. Elissa Slotkin — who won former Sen. Debbie Stabenow’s open seat in 2024 — and the state’s other upper-chamber incumbent, retiring Sen. Gary Peters.