The Congo Ebola outbreak has now claimed more than 100 lives, the Democratic Republic of Congo announced Monday, even as the presence of armed groups continues to obstruct the response in the worst-affected province.

A Worsening Crisis

The outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola and was officially announced on May 15. However, officials have since acknowledged that it went undetected for weeks, leaving health authorities scrambling to bring it under control.

The geography of the outbreak adds to the difficulty. It is unfolding across three provinces long plagued by armed conflict: Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu.

The Latest Numbers

According to the government’s most recent situation report published Monday, the previous 24 hours had seen 35 new confirmed cases, including 10 deaths. That brought the cumulative totals to:

• 550 confirmed cases
• 101 confirmed deaths

The cases span 17 health zones in Ituri, seven in North Kivu, and one in South Kivu.

The figures vary slightly depending on the source. Earlier Monday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention put Congo’s confirmed case count at 544 and confirmed deaths at 88, a reminder of how quickly the situation is evolving and how challenging it is to keep tallies current in an active outbreak.

Violence Hampering the Response

Mistrust and resistance have repeatedly undercut efforts to contain the disease, with attacks reported on burial teams and treatment centers. The most recent such incident occurred Sunday, when, according to a source familiar with the government response, a burial team was targeted at the Nyamurongo cemetery in Bunia. The attack left two people seriously injured and damaged two vehicles.

The situation report noted that the presence of armed groups in the Ituri areas of Djugu, Irumu, and Mambasa was continuing to limit humanitarian access across multiple health zones that are either affected or at risk. On a somewhat more hopeful note, the report described Bunia, the capital of Ituri, as relatively calm.

The Road Ahead

The combination of a strain that spread undetected, a region already destabilized by conflict, and direct attacks on response teams has created a deeply challenging environment for containment. With cases and deaths still climbing, health authorities face the dual task of fighting the virus itself while navigating the insecurity that keeps getting in the way of reaching the communities that need help most.