Congo says Ebola efforts can resume after deadly attack

HEALTH

Congo says Ebola efforts can resume after deadly attack

The Associated Press Published Wednesday, September 26, 2018 5:26AM EDT

In this photo taken Sunday, Sept 9, 2018, a health worker in protective gear works at an Ebola treatment centre in Beni, Eastern Congo. The current Ebola outbreak in northeastern Congo has become a testing ground for treating confirmed Ebola victims in individual biosecure units. (AP Photo/Al-hadji Kudra Maliro)

Text:

JOHANNESBURG -- Congo's health ministry says efforts to contain the latest Ebola outbreak can resume Wednesday in a key community where a deadly rebel attack over the weekend caused work to be suspended.

Civil society in Beni had demanded that commercial and other activity stop for five days to protest the attack by suspected Allied Democratic Forces rebels that killed at least 18 people.

Now the health ministry says work to counter Ebola can continue after the "gravity of the epidemic" and dangers of pausing containment efforts were explained.

The World Health Organization says the insecurity, public defiance about vaccinations and political jockeying could create a "perfect storm" leading this outbreak to spread.

Congo reports 120 confirmed Ebola cases, including 70 deaths, as of Tuesday.

Cases have been reported close to Uganda.