Towns in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Kasai province have been placed under confinement due to a recent Ebola outbreak, with multiple checkpoints erected to restrict population movement.
The move comes as cases continue to rise, with 32 suspected cases, 20 confirmed cases, and 16 deaths reported.
Francois Mingambengele, administrator of the Mweka territory, stated that the confinement is aimed at preventing the spread of the virus to other communities.
However, aid workers have expressed concerns that the response to the outbreak may be hindered due to recent cuts in foreign assistance.
The World Health Organization has dispatched experts to Kasai Province to strengthen disease surveillance, treatment, and infection prevention.
Congo has a stockpile of treatments and 2,000 doses of the Ervebo vaccine, which will be used to vaccinate contacts and frontline health workers.
Despite these efforts, concerns remain about the country’s ability to mount an effective response, given its history of more than a dozen Ebola outbreaks and recent reductions in international aid.
