UNITED NATIONS, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of civilians were reportedly killed overnight in violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), further disrupting the Ebola response, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Friday.
At least 30 civilians were killed, homes were burned and a health center was destroyed in the Cantine-Aloya locality of Beni Territory in North Kivu. Several patients are reportedly among the dead, the office said, citing local sources.
"People who had been in contact with Ebola patients reportedly fled an observation centre, while response teams were forced to suspend operations in the area," the office said in a daily news update. "This is making it harder to track potential infections and contain the outbreak."
Authorities have reported more than 10,700 confirmed Ebola cases and over 5,200 deaths to date, mainly in the eastern DRC, according to OCHA.
The office calls on all parties in the country to protect civilians, respect international humanitarian law and ensure safe and unhindered access for humanitarian and health workers. ■
