Eastern Congo city Kisangani faces Ebola outbreaks and regional tensions amid ceasefire talks and M23 conflict, anchoring North-Congo trade and governance.
The Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has infected about 1,926 people and caused 702 deaths, with cases now reported in North Kivu, South Kivu, Tshopo and Haut‑Uele. WHO has warned the real caseload could be two to four times higher; contact tracing is incomplete and frontline health workers have struck over unpaid pay.
Rwandan and Congolese officials remain locked in a dispute over commitments under a Washington-brokered peace deal, with UN experts noting M23 remains active and minerals continue to flow from conflict zones. Western governments have stepped up sanctions, and the ICJ case against Rwanda has widened the international response.
Health authorities have reported at least 1,759 confirmed Ebola cases and about 600 deaths in the Democratic Republic of Congo since mid-May, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain. The World Health Organization has enrolled the first patient in a trial testing MBP134 and remdesivir; treatment centres are strained and insecurity and funding shortfalls are hindering response.