Ebola alert raised in DR Congo's capital amid risk of riverborne spread

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have launched a response in the capital, Kinshasa, after a boat carrying more than 200 passengers arrived earlier Wednesday amid an alert linked to a suspected Ebola case, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM).



The alert has raised concern over the risk of the outbreak spreading through river transport to the national capital, which is not among the five provinces currently affected by the outbreak.



The vessel arrived at the Bende-Bende port in Maluku, a municipality in eastern Kinshasa, the IOM said in a social media post.



The UN migration agency said it was supporting the DRC's National Border Health Program, the central government and health authorities in responding to the alert. It did not provide details about the suspected case, the condition of the passengers or the control measures being implemented at the port.