Congo rebels impose movement restrictions amid Ebola outbreak

Shared taxis operating between Goma and Kirumba, as well as passenger boats on certain routes of Lake Edward, will be suspended for one month starting Saturday. However, taxi-buses and trucks transporting goods will still be permitted to operate, subject to health and safety controls.

The M23 rebels, who control significant portions of North and South Kivu provinces, have previously highlighted their efforts to combat Ebola in their territories, largely separate from the central government's response. They declared their controlled areas Ebola-free in late June. The ongoing hostilities between Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 group complicate efforts to contain the epidemic, which health officials describe as the fastest-spreading on record. Government data indicates that confirmed Ebola cases in Congo have surpassed 5,000.