Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have resumed efforts to fight the Ebola outbreak in the east after clashes broke out a "few meters" from a treatment center and the aid workers' hotel.

United Nations peacekeepers fought off an offensive by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia in the city of Beni, North Kivu Province late on Friday.  Seven Malawian and one Tanzanian peacekeeper were killed in the attack.  Seven Malawian and one Tanzanian peacekeeper were killed in the attack. 

One shell hit one of the hotels, forcing the evacuation of 16 UN World Health Organization (WHO) staff members to Goma for counseling.  The agency said it's not clear if the shell was fired by the UN peacekeepers or the ADF.

"WHO will continue to work side-by-side with the ministry and our partners to bring this Ebola outbreak to an end," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.  "We honor the memory of those who have died battling this outbreak, and deplore the continuing threats on the security of those still working to end it," he added.

The latest Ebola outbreak is the DRC's second this year and tenth overall.  Out of 358 confirmed infections, 166 cases were fatal while another 47 deaths were probably caused by the outbreak.

"No other epidemic in the world has been as complex as the one we are currently experiencing," said DRC health minister Oly Ilunga, "Since their arrival in the region, the response teams have faced threats, physical assaults, repeated destruction of their equipment and kidnapping," Oly Ilunga.