Congo Ebola Deaths Cross 100 Amid Armed Group Violence

Bangla Press Desk:   Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday said confirmed Ebola deaths had climbed to 101 and that ​the presence of armed groups was continuing to hinder the ‌response in the hardest-hit province.The outbreak of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola was announced on May 15, though officials have since said it went undetected for weeks, leaving ​health authorities and struggling to bring it under control.

It ​is unfolding in three provinces long beset by armed conflict: ⁠Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.

In its latest situation report published on ​Monday, Congo's government said there had been 35 new confirmed cases in ​the previous 24 hours, including 10 deaths. That brought the total number of confirmed cases to 550 and the total number of confirmed deaths to 101.

The cases have been ​recorded in 17 of Ituri's health zones as well as in seven ​health zones in North Kivu and one health zone in South Kivu.

Mistrust and resistance ‌have ⁠hampered the response, with on burial teams and treatment centres reported. The latest such attack occurred on Sunday, a source familiar with the government response said, with a burial team targeted at the Nyamurongo cemetery in Bunia, ​leaving two people seriously ​injured and two ⁠vehicles damaged.

The situation report said the presence of armed groups in Djugu, Irumu and Mambasa - all in Ituri - ​was continuing "to limit humanitarian access in multiple health zones ​affected or ⁠at risk."

It said that Bunia, the capital of Ituri, was relatively calm.

Earlier on Monday, Africa's top public health agency said the number of confirmed Ebola cases ⁠in ​Congo had risen to 544.

The Africa Centres for ​Disease Control and Prevention gave Congo's confirmed Ebola deaths as 88.