Health officials in the Democratic Republic of Congo have suspended Ebola prevention efforts following a deadly violent attack carried out by rebels.
The attack on Saturday in the city of Beni in eastern Congo killed 18 people after six hours of fighting.
Local officials say the militants belonging to the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan Islamist group clashed with Congolese troops in Beni.
Reuters quoted a local civil society leader Kizito Bin Hangi as saying that “Beni is ungovernable this morning. Several protests have been declared in the town where the people express their anger with consternation.”
Hundreds of people have been infected with the deadly Ebola and health officials have been working hard to contain the spread.
Over 100 people have also died from the current outbreak as well.
Although treatment centres will be opened health officials say the conflict has prevented them from providing vaccination services.
The tracing of people who have been in contact with suspected Ebola patients has also stopped due to the conflict.
Difficult outbreak
The WHO has always maintained that fighting the outbreak has been challenging due to the ongoing militia violence.
Militia violence has prevented aid workers from reaching people who may have been infected by the virus.
The Ebola virus which is transmitted by bats. It was first discovered in DRC in 1976 and named after the Ebola river.
Ebola leads to internal and external bleeding which can cause damage done to blood vessels.
Source: Africafeeds.com
