'Perfect storm' for Ebola: WHO warns violence and political unrest will cause the outbreak to spread

The Democratic Republic of Congo's (DRC) Ebola outbreak is set to spread even further within the next few weeks, an official warns.

Dr Peter Salama, emergency response chief at the World Health Organization (WHO), fears the combination of rebel violence and pre-election unrest is creating a 'perfect storm' for an even worse epidemic.

Armed opposition attacks in North Kivu province, which has been hit by the outbreak, have risen in recent weeks.

Refugee workers have even been forced to evacuate the town of Beni, where the outbreak started, due to a deadly raid that left more than a dozen locals dead.

Fears and misconceptions about the virus are also being exploited by politicians ahead of the DRC's December election, which is causing the public to lose faith in health workers, according to Dr Salama.

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