Rwandan authorities have intensified health screenings and tightened movement along the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo as a deadly Ebola outbreak linked to the rare Bundibugyo strain continues to spread across the region.
At least 131 people have died and 531 suspected infections have been reported in eastern DR Congo, prompting the World Health Organization to declare an international public health emergency.
At border crossings near the Congolese city of Goma, health workers are checking temperatures and screening travellers entering Rwanda.
The measures come amid fears that the outbreak could spread further across East Africa. Rwanda has also restricted cross-border movement since the outbreak was confirmed.
Residents in Rwanda’s Rubavu district say the tighter controls are affecting livelihoods and disrupting trade.
“We would like the government to find a solution so that we can transport our goods normally across the border while still taking precautions,” said local trader Nsengiyaremye Kigendi.
Another resident, Twiringirimana Daniel, said traders are now forced to leave goods at the border for transporters on the Congolese side to collect, reducing profits and increasing losses.
Bundibugyo strain raises alarm
Health authorities say the outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a rare variant for which there is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
The strain was previously responsible for outbreaks in Uganda in 2007 and in the DR Congo in 2012, with mortality rates ranging from 30 to 50 per cent.
The current outbreak is centred in Ituri province in northeastern Congo, a region plagued by armed violence and mass displacement.
Conflict complicates Ebola response
Efforts to contain the outbreak are being hampered by insecurity across eastern Congo, where multiple armed groups remain active.
The outbreak’s epicentre, Mongbwalu, lies in territory controlled by the CODECO militia, while attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces, linked to the Islamic State group, continue in nearby areas.
Further south, fighting persists between Congolese forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels despite a peace agreement signed last year.
A confirmed Ebola case has also been reported in Goma, a strategic city under M23 control near the Rwandan border.
US issues travel warning
Amid growing regional concern, the United States has raised its travel advisory for DR Congo, South Sudan and Uganda to Level Four — “Do Not Travel”.
Washington has also advised Americans to reconsider travel to Rwanda because of the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak.
Health experts warn that continued conflict, displacement and limited humanitarian access could accelerate the spread of the virus across the region.
