In a groundbreaking move for regional connectivity, the Republic of Congo has declared that, starting January 1, 2027, all African citizens will enjoy visa-free entry into the country. This initiative aims to simplify cross-border travel and enhance regional integration across the continent. This new policy is set to facilitate travel for various purposes, including business, tourism, education, and cultural exchanges. It embodies the Republic of Congo's commitment to the African Union's broader integration agenda and…

Arson attacks targeting Ebola treatment facilities in eastern Congo underscore the formidable obstacles confronting authorities amidst an outbreak declared a global health emergency. These incidents reflect the mounting local frustration as efforts continue to curb the spread of this infectious disease. On Sunday, Congolese officials reported that suspected cases have surpassed 900, primarily concentrated in Ituri Province, the epicenter of the outbreak. The recent fires in centers across two towns exposed underlying…

A US doctor infected with Ebola while working in the Democratic Republic of Congo during the country’s deadly current outbreak has been admitted to a high-security isolation unit at a hospital in Germany, health officials said. The patient, identified as medical missionary Dr Peter Stafford, reached Germany overnight after the United States asked Berlin to assist with his treatment. "I can confirm that the US citizen who was infected with the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has been admitted to the…

AXADLE, Somalia — Puntland State has moved to calm fears while urging caution, issuing a public health alert after the World Health Organization reported an uptick in Ebola cases in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In a statement on Wednesday, the health ministry asked residents to stay alert and follow preventive steps to limit the chance of infection, stressing that no Ebola cases have been reported in Puntland State or anywhere else in Somalia. Officials described Ebola as a dangerous and fast-spreading viral…

Alarm over the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo intensified as the head of the World Health Organization warned that the epidemic’s reach and momentum are cause for serious concern. "Early on Sunday, I declared a public health emergency of international concern over an epidemic of Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the World Health Assembly in Geneva. "I did not do this lightly... I'm deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic," he said. His remarks…

Health officials are racing to contain a new Ebola outbreak linked to the Bundibugyo strain, with the World Health Organization saying the flare-up does not qualify as a pandemic emergency even as it warns that countries bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo face a high risk of further spread. Earlier, the WHO said the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda amounted to a public health emergency of international concern. So what is known so far about the latest Ebola outbreak and the way it has…

A deadly Ebola outbreak has erupted in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, African health authorities said, as neighbouring Uganda confirmed a linked fatality that underscored fears the virus could move across borders. So far, the outbreak has remained concentrated in Ituri province in northeastern DRC, near the frontiers with Uganda and South Sudan, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) said. The agency warned the threat of wider transmission was high, citing 246 suspected cases and 65 deaths…

Alarmed by a fresh Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) says it is tracking the situation closely and mobilizing support. The agency is coordinating with national authorities and partners to mount a rapid, unified response as officials race to contain the spread. Early testing by the Institut National de Recherche Biomédicale (INRB) detected Ebola virus in 13 of 20 samples, with preliminary findings pointing to a…

Human Rights Watch has urged authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to safeguard free speech and ensure people can voice dissent without intimidation or harassment, following fresh accounts of journalists, activists, and opposition figures being arbitrarily detained. In a statement, the organization said the tightening grip on critics comes amid mounting political friction over a potential constitutional revision. Opponents warn that such a change could allow President Félix Tshisekedi to sidestep the country’s…

President Félix Tshisekedi has ignited a political backlash in the Democratic Republic of the Congo after saying he would consider a third term if citizens called for it, a statement that opposition leaders swiftly denounced. The constitution restricts presidents to two terms, and Tshisekedi said any modification would be decided by referendum. His critics counter that Article 220 expressly forbids changing presidential term limits, accusing him of laying the groundwork to prolong his time in office. The dispute…