DR Congo Bans Mass Gatherings in Kinshasa Amid Ebola Outbreak

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:52:11 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

The interior ministry has imposed a blanket ban on public gatherings in the capital to curb the spread of Ebola, as cases rise in eastern provinces.

DR Congo’s interior minister has declared a nationwide ban on mass events in Kinshasa and neighbouring regions following a surge in Ebola infections. The move comes as authorities fear the outbreak could spill into the 18‑million‑strong capital. Opposition leaders argue the ban is aimed at silencing a planned protest on July 8, while health officials cite urgent containment needs. The prohibition follows 1,274 confirmed cases and 360 deaths in the affected provinces, and is part of broader quarantine measures across the country. International agencies monitor the situation as new antiviral trials may begin soon.

Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, is under a new restriction that bans all mass gatherings, from concerts to political rallies, officially aimed at preventing the spread of Ebola.

The interior minister, Jacquemain Shabani, issued the directive after the number of confirmed cases in the eastern provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu rose by 47, bringing the total to 1,274 with 360 deaths.

These provinces are over 1,100 miles from Kinshasa, yet authorities fear the disease will eventually reach the city’s 18 million residents. As a result, the ban now covers Kinshasa and the neighbouring provinces of Tshopo, Haut‑Uele and Bas‑Uele.

Opposition groups have seized on the measure, alleging it is a political move to suppress a protest march scheduled for 8 July. Lamuka coalition spokesman Prince Epenge called the order “political” and “illegitimate,” while Envol’s secretary‑general Rodrigu Ramazani urged demonstrators to ignore the ban.

Health experts note that Ebola spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids. The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the virus, for which no vaccine currently exists, but new antiviral drug trials are expected to begin soon, as announced by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

In addition to the ban, a 21‑day quarantine has been imposed on travellers moving from the affected provinces to other parts of the country, following a confirmed case in France of a doctor who had worked at an Ebola treatment centre upon returning through Kinshasa.

The World Health Organization warns that conflict in eastern DR Congo, where the M23 rebel group controls key areas, worsens the outbreak’s containment efforts.

Neighbouring Uganda has also reported Ebola cases, confirming the regional nature of the epidemic.

Local officials stress that while no cases have yet been confirmed in Kinshasa, the city remains a potential hotspot, and the measures are intended to prevent a surge that could overrun health systems.

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