Violence complicates a challenging Ebola response

The response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is facing serious challenges amid ongoing violence in the affected areas. There have been 235 confirmed and probable cases in the outbreak, including 152 deaths. Here's what you need to know:

• Rebels killed 15 civilians and abducted a dozen children in an attack this weekend in Beni, a city at the center of the Ebola outbreak. The news follows on the heels of an attack in Beni late last month that forced officials to suspend Ebola response efforts for several days, hampering the effort to stem the spread of the virus.
• On Saturday, health officials announced that rebels killed two medical agents who were working with the Congolese army to support the Ebola response. “Health workers are not a target for armed groups,” health minister Dr. Oly Ilunga said in a statement.
• Health officials also reported that a gang of young men exhumed the body of someone who had died from Ebola after hearing rumors that responders had taken the body. They came into contact with body fluids and agreed to be vaccinated.