Ebola Outbreak Spreads in DRC; Uganda Closes Border as WHO Calls for Ceasefire

The Ugandan government announced today that it is closing its border with the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo, effective immediately, to prevent the spread of the Ebola virus. Meanwhile, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called on warring parties in eastern DRC to immediately cease fire to facilitate efforts to contain the outbreak. According to Reuters, Diana Atwine, a senior Ugandan health official, stated at a press conference that the border with the DRC will be closed for four weeks, with exceptions for Ebola response teams, humanitarian and security operations, food transport, and freight. She also stated that anyone approved to enter Uganda from the DRC must undergo 21 days of mandatory self-isolation. The Ugandan government announced a series of initial measures last week, including the suspension of public transport services between Uganda and the DRC, in an attempt to curb the cross-border transmission of the virus. The center of this outbreak is in Ituri Province, DRC, and Uganda has already reported seven Ebola cases and one death. The World Health Organization (WHO) has designated this rare Bundibugyo-type Ebola outbreak as a 'Public Health Emergency of International Concern' (PHEIC). To date, more than 900 suspected cases and over 200 suspected deaths have been reported in eastern DRC. These cases are distributed across three provinces, including North Kivu, controlled by the rebel group 'March 23 Movement' (M23), and South Kivu, controlled by the rebel group 'Alliance Fleuve Congo'. Tedros called for a ceasefire in eastern DRC today, stating that ongoing fighting has led to the displacement of large numbers of people and allowed the virus to spread within crowded camps. He wrote on the social platform X: 'We cannot build trust in communities or isolate patients while bombs are falling. We urge all parties to agree to an immediate ceasefire to stop this outbreak.'