Wild conspiracy theories fuel attacks on clinics as Ebola outbreak spreads in Congo - Yahoo
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When conspiracy theories spread faster than a virus, they become the outbreak — Congo's Ebola crisis shows how misinformation destroys the very trust needed to stop a disease.
Social Contagion TheoryConspiracy MentalityInstitutional TrustInfodemic Theory
Theory Briefing
- Conspiracy theories claiming nonprofits deliberately introduced Ebola are fueling physical attacks on treatment clinics in Congo.
- Misinformation erodes institutional trust, making communities refuse aid — a textbook case of how belief systems override survival instincts.
- Officials must now fight two simultaneous outbreaks: the virus itself and the social contagion of fear-driven false narratives.