On 28 May, medical teams visited schools across Goma, the largest city in North Kivu, to teach students and teachers about hygiene measures, how to recognise Ebola symptoms, and the importance of reporting suspected infections quickly. Health officials warned that overcrowded living conditions and years of conflict-driven displacement could accelerate the spread of the virus.
The outbreak is placing growing pressure on the country’s health system. The health ministry has reported 101 confirmed cases, while more than 3,000 contacts are being monitored. The number of suspected infections is approaching 1,000, and at least 220 suspected deaths have been recorded.
Further north, in Bunia, authorities received 100 tonnes of medical supplies and protective equipment on Thursday through the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations programme. The shipment is intended to reinforce treatment centres and support frontline health workers in Ituri, the province at the centre of the epidemic.
The international response intensified with the visit of WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who travelled from the outbreak-hit Ituri region to Kinshasa for talks on strengthening surveillance, contact tracing and emergency health measures aimed at containing the spread of Ebola.