Key facts
- Mass gatherings are banned in Kinshasa and three other provinces in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The ban is intended to prevent the spread of Ebola from eastern provinces to the capital.
- Opposition parties accuse the government of using the ban for political reasons to prevent a protest.
- Confirmed Ebola cases have reached 1,274 with 360 deaths in the affected provinces.
- Uganda has also reported Ebola cases and deaths.
Mass gatherings have been banned in the Democratic Republic of Congo's capital, Kinshasa, and three other provinces in an effort to contain the spread of Ebola. The interior minister issued the directive on Saturday, as confirmed cases in the eastern provinces, where the outbreak is concentrated, jumped by 47 to a total of 1,274, with 360 deaths.
The current outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo species of the virus, has been detected in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces, which are approximately 1,800 km from Kinshasa. Ituri province accounts for over 90% of the infections. The ban also extends to Tshopo, Haut-Uele, and Bas-Uele provinces, which border the affected regions.
Opposition figures have criticized the government's decision, alleging it is politically motivated and aimed at stifling a protest march scheduled for July 8. Prince Epenge, spokesperson for the opposition Lamuka coalition, called the order "political" and "not legitimate" as no cases have been confirmed in Kinshasa. Rodrigue Ramazani, secretary-general of opposition party Envol, urged protesters to ignore the ban, calling it a "political manoeuvre rather than a public health measure."
The Congolese government has not yet responded to these criticisms. The day after the ban was announced, the government also ordered a 21-day quarantine for travelers moving from Ebola-affected areas to other parts of the country.
Neighboring Uganda has also confirmed Ebola cases, with 20 people infected and two deaths. The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo, particularly by the M23 rebel group in North and South Kivu, is complicating efforts to control the outbreak. Both Africa's Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and US public health authorities have indicated that this outbreak has the potential to be one of the largest ever, as it spread for weeks before being confirmed as Ebola.