Red Cross workers carry away the body of a person suspected of dying from the Ebola virus, in the Liberian capital Monrovia, on October 4, 2014. By far the most deadly epidemic of Ebola on record has spread into five west African countries since the start of the year, infecting more than 7,000 people and killing about half of them. AFP PHOTO / PASCAL GUYOT. (Photo credit should read PASCAL GUYOT/AFP/Getty Images)
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stated yesterday confirmed Ebola deaths rose to 101 and that the presence of armed groups continued to delay response in the hardest-hit province.
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola was first identified on May 15 but officials now say it lingered unnoticed for weeks, leaving health authorities scrambling to get it under control. It is happening in three areas that have long been blighted by violent strife – Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.
Congo’s government said in its latest situation report published yesterday that there had been 35 additional confirmed cases in the previous 24 hours, including 10 deaths. The overall number of verified cases reached 550 and the total number of confirmed deaths reached 101.
The cases have been reported in 17 health zones in Ituri, seven health zones in North Kivu and one health zone in South Kivu.
There has been a response, but mistrust and resistance have delayed it, with reports of burial teams and treatment centres. The last such attack was on Sunday when a burial team was hit at Nyamurongo cemetery in Bunia, gravely injuring two persons and damaging two vehicles, said a source familiar with the government response.
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