The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of people abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.
Advice
Reconfirm all planned travel arrangements. Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Consider delaying travel if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.
Emphasize basic health precautions, especially frequent handwashing with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable. Practice good coughing/sneezing etiquette (i.e., covering coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue, maintaining distance from others, and washing hands). There is no evidence that the influenza vaccine, antibiotics, or antiviral medications will prevent this disease, highlighting the importance of diligent basic health precautions.
DRC Weekly Flight Schedule during COVID-19 related travel restrictions – Effective from 15th June 2020
Click here link to see the flight schedules of Congo during this COVID-19 Pandemic time.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Extends Isolation Measures as of April 6-20
Severity: Critical Alert
Entry/Exit: Authorities in DRC extend isolation measures to areas in North Kivu April 6-20. Air, land, sea ports closed nationwide since March 26.
This alert affects Democratic Republic of the Congo
This alert began 06 Apr 2020 10:33 GMT and is scheduled to expire 20 Apr 2020 23:59 GMT.
Summary
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have imposed updated restrictions to stem the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as of April 6:
Existing measures since March 26:
Penalties for persons violating lockdown regulations are unclear. Security forces will be deployed to ensure compliance. Security forces in the DRC may use force to ensure compliance.
The DRC declared a state of emergency effective March 24 to limit the spread of COVID-19. Additional restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the DRC are possible in the coming days.
Background and Analysis
The measures adopted by the government correspond with similar actions taken by other regional governments in recent days in response to the spread of COVID-19. COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV). Symptoms occur 1-14 days following exposure (average of 3-7 days). These symptoms include fever, fatigue, cough, difficulty breathing, sometimes worsening to pneumonia and kidney failure – especially in those with underlying medical conditions. On March 11, the WHO declared the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
Advice
Reconfirm all planned travel arrangements. Follow all official instructions. Abide by national health and safety measures. Consider delaying travel if experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, as they may prompt increased scrutiny and delays. Liaise with trusted contacts for further updates and guidance. Maintain contact with your diplomatic representation. Ensure contingency plans account for further disruptive measures or extensions of current restrictions. Reconsider and reconfirm nonemergency health appointments.
Emphasize basic health precautions, especially frequent handwashing with soap and water, or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are unavailable. Practice good coughing/sneezing etiquette (i.e., covering coughs and sneezes with a disposable tissue, maintaining distance from others, and washing hands). There is no evidence that the influenza vaccine, antibiotics, or antiviral medications will prevent this disease, highlighting the importance of diligent basic health precautions.
Democratic Republic of the Congo Travel Advisory
Global Health Advisory: Do Not Travel. Avoid all international travel due to the global impact of COVID-19
Reconsider travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to crime, civil unrest, and Ebola. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.
Do Not Travel To:
Country Summary: Violent crime, such as armed robbery, armed home invasion, and assault, is common and local police lack resources to respond effectively to serious crime. Assailants may pose as police or security agents.
Demonstrations are common in many cities and some have turned violent. Police have at times responded with heavy-handed tactics that resulted in civilian casualties and arrests.
There is an outbreak of the Ebola virus in eastern DRC, which may affect other areas in the country. The CDC issued a Level 2 Travel Notice for Ebola in the DRC.
The U.S. government has extremely limited ability to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens outside of Kinshasa due to poor infrastructure and security conditions.
Read the Safety and Security section on the Country Information Page.
If you decide to travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
North Kivu, South Kivu, and Ituri Provinces: Level 4—Do Not Travel
Eastern DRC is experiencing an Ebola virus outbreak, with confirmed and probable cases reported in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu provinces. The CDC issued a Level 2 Travel Notice for Ebola in the DRC.
The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in North and South Kivu and Ituri provinces as U.S. government travel to these areas is restricted.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
North Kivu and Ituri Provinces: Level 4—Do Not Travel
Terrorist and armed groups operating in North Kivu and Ituri provinces, have attacked military and civilian targets, and represent an ongoing threat to humanitarian aid workers and other NGO personnel operating in the area.
The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in North Kivu and Ituri provinces as U.S. government travel to these areas is restricted.
Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.
Eastern DRC Region and the Three Kasai Provinces: Level 4: Do Not Travel
Violent crime, such as murder, rape, kidnapping, and pillaging, continue throughout North Kivu, South Kivu, Ituri, Tanganyika, Haut Lomami, Bas-Uele, and Haut-Uele and three Kasai provinces of Kasai Oriental, Kasai Central, and Kasai. Road travelers are frequently targeted for ambush, armed robbery, and kidnapping.
Demonstrations and large gatherings can occur throughout these regions, especially in urban areas, and escalate to violence. Extrajudicial mobs can form rapidly and turn violent, posing a threat to humanitarian aid workers and other personnel operating in the area.
Armed groups, individuals, and military forces routinely clash with each other. Civilians are frequently targeted in attacks.
The U.S. government is unable to provide emergency consular services to U.S. citizens in eastern DRC and these provinces, as U.S. government travel to these regions is restricted.
DR Congo isolates Kinshasa over coronavirus
DR Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi on Tuesday declared a state of emergency and ordered the isolation of the capital Kinshasa from the rest of the country to avoid the spread of coronavirus.
The isolation of the capital means no passenger flights in or out of Kinshasa, although cargo flights will be allowed. The travel ban includes all public transport and buses as well as river transport in and out of the city.
The new measures include a ban on all travel from Kinshasa to the provinces and from the provinces to the capital to allow for the confinement of the city, he said. “Given the seriousness and the dangerous nature of this situation, I declare a state of emergency,” Tshisekedi said in a televised address.
The country has registered 45 cases of the virus including three fatalities, all in Kinshasa. The isolation of the capital means no passenger flights in or out of Kinshasa, though cargo flights will be allowed.
The president said DR Congo would also close its borders to all travel except for trucks, ships and planes carrying cargo.
The second-largest city in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Lubumbashi, began a 48-hour lockdown on Monday after the arrival of two people with suspected coronavirus aboard a flight from Kinshasha.
DR Congo extends state of emergency amid COVID-19
Parliamentarians in the Democratic Republic of Congo voted Thursday to extend a state of emergency for 15 days to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The measure was declared in March and was due to expire at midnight Friday.
The authorities have recorded 359 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country and 25 deaths.
In light of the pandemic, Parliament’s internal rules had to be amended to allow only 60 members in the plenary out of 500 to debate Thursday’s bill presented by the executive, said Jeanine Mabunda, speaker of the Lower House of Parliament.
Explaining the rationale for the extension, Mabunda implored lawmakers to put aside their political, ethnic and tribal differences in the face of the “dangerous common enemy of humanity COVID-19 for the good of the Congolese.”
The extension of the state of emergency was endorsed by the majority of lawmakers in the Lower House before being sent to the Senate, where it was eventually passed by most lawmakers.
A few members of the Upper House of Parliament also met in respect of social distancing rules, including the chairpersons of parliamentary groups and members of standing committees.
DR Congo announced its first COVID-19 case on March 10, and the disease has spread to at least four provinces.
On March 24, President Felix Tshisekedi declared a state of emergency, announcing the closure of all borders to non-essential traffic and a ban on all trips between the capital and the country’s 25 provinces.
Kinshasa, with over 11 million residents, remains the epicenter of the pandemic.
The city announced a lockdown on March 26 in a bid to contain the spread of the virus. But on Thursday, restrictions on essential services were eased in the capital.
Tshisekedi on April 17 asked both chambers of Parliament to extend the state of emergency ahead of its expiry.
He later signed an ordinance allowing both houses of Parliament to sit and consider the extension despite the measure prohibiting any gatherings of more than 20 people during the COVID-19 epidemic.
The death toll from the COVID-19 pandemic on the African continent has reached 1,242 while confirmed cases hit 25,937 as of Thursday, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
DR Congo declares COVID-19 emergency after deaths
The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo closed the country’s borders and imposed a state of emergency on Tuesday to contain the coronavirus outbreak, following other African nations that have imposed strict measures in recent days.
The virus is spreading quickly across Africa, infecting more than 1,700 people across 45 countries, challenging already fragile healthcare systems. Senegal and Ivory Coast on Monday declared their own states of emergency, imposing curfews and travel restrictions on their populations.
Over 40 people have contracted the virus in the DRC and three have been killed, raising concerns of a widespread outbreak, especially in the crowded capital Kinshasa where social distancing is an alien phenomenon.
“Coronavirus does not need a passport, visa or voter’s card to circulate in our house,” President Félix Tshisekedi said in a speech to the nation on Tuesday. “We find ourselves at war with an invisible adversary.”
The president banned internal passenger flights and river transport to and from Kinshasa, where all 45 of the known cases have been found. Last week, he suspended commercial flights from other countries with the virus, banned large gatherings and closed clubs, restaurants and bars.
Protest against COVID19 lockdown leaves three dead in DR Congo
At least three people died during a protest by hundreds of demonstrators in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital against the coronavirus lockdown closure of the city’s main market, according to officials and witnesses.
The police said they fired warning shots to disperse the crowd that had gathered at the site on Tuesday to demand the reopening of the Kinshasa market, AFP reporters stated.
Several demonstrators said at least one person was killed by gunfire.
According to a spokesman for the Kinshasa provincial government, two people were electrocuted while another was crushed to death by the fleeing crowd after “trouble by people pretending to be trade unionists” from the market.
“We deplore the deaths of three people,” the spokesman, Charles Mbuta Muntu, said following a meeting to discuss the unrest.
“Those responsible for these riots have been arrested” for having violated state of emergency measures imposed to combat the virus.
The protestors had stood their ground behind barriers that have since early April cut off the Gombe area housing market as part of the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.
They hurled insults at Kinshasa’s governor, Gentiny Ngobila, calling him a ‘thief.’
Belise Okonda, a governorate spokesperson, denied rumours the market was being knocked down.
In a letter seen by AFP, Interior Minister Gilbert Kankonde ordered Ngobila to reopen the market.
However, the governor first wants work undertaken by the city authorities to improve health and sanitation at the market.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has suffered 90 deaths from the new coronavirus from 4,359 cases, including 3,864 in Kinshasa.
DRC President Felix Tshisekedi ordered the state of emergency on March 24, which has been extended several times by a vote in parliament.
Borders, schools, places of worship, bars and restaurants are all closed and gatherings of more than 20 people banned as per the measures put in place to curb the spread of the virus.
In the Republic of Congo, schools closed in mid-March. The Government acted quickly and ensured children kept learning from home by providing lessons through television, radio and newspapers. A key priority for the government was to not stop the learning.
How coronavirus is affecting the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is still recovering from years of devastating civil war, which killed almost four million people. Violence is an ever-present problem for vulnerable communities that are facing the threats of the Ebola virus, food shortages and now coronavirus.
Bernard Balibuno has been our country director in DR Congo for seven years. He tells us how your donations are changing the lives of families and communities that only a faith-based organisation, like CAFOD, can reach.
This country has been a country with turmoil and a lot of rebel movements and that has caused a lot of displacement for many years.
We have over five million displaced people, especially on the east side of the country where a lot of rebel movement has been recorded. In these areas where rebels are active, people can’t do their daily shop, they can’t go to their farms, without risking rape or other violence.
Elsewhere in the DRC, we’ve had famine, natural catastrophes, environmental issues and fighting between tribes. So all over the country there are a lot of problems, and that is causing the lives of normal Congolese to become even harder.
Coronavirus came and we are living in a very different world again right now, where the government has been locking down some areas, closing schools, closing travel.
Imagine living in a country where everything is imported from outside, now, there is nothing coming in. Where people live on a daily basis so the women or the men need to go out and earn one dollar or two dollars to eat that day. In a country where the markets need to open every day so people can survive. In a country where you need to pay for your healthcare in cash.
We are seeing some very, very serious poverty issues here. Yes, coronavirus is killing people, but the consequences of coronavirus will even kill more people.
During the Ebola time, we saw a lot of community resistance to international help and conspiracy theories developing. Specialists came from all over the world to fight this Ebola, but people asked “Are they here to help us really? We’ve been dying for this many years, now they’re all here?”
We are seeing that with the coronavirus again. But the good news is that the Church has been involved. Our goal and our objective as an organisation has been to ensure that faith organisations are involved very early on. The Church is sensitising people to coronavirus, helping alongside the government.
We’ve seen how the community have been very receptive because they’re the same people who are talking to them, they know them. They trust them as their faith leaders. The faith leaders use the language people in that particular community understand and they know. This turned everything around.
In this country the infrastructure has been broken down for many, many years. So people have relied on Church infrastructures for many, many years.
In the areas controlled by rebels, we are getting reports from our Church partners in these areas that people are suffering, and we can’t directly reach those people we’re supposed to reach or we need to reach.
But the good news is that our Church partners are there. With all this, the Church is very, very well organised to reach those people.
Our heart goes to those who are very, very vulnerable in displacement camps at this particular point. Those who are in host families. How about the displaced family that are in Beni right now? How about the families have been hit by flooding in Uvira right now? How about the family that we support in Kalehe that have been relying on our cash distribution or food distribution?
I think we need to look at that at that level and see how the vulnerability of a normal citizen in this country has gone deeper and deeper and we will be losing many lives if we do not act and act right now.
There’s the positivity that we as humanitarian workers, especially we as a Church institution, we are coming already with the experience we had during Ebola, and this experience we bring to coronavirus.
We have repurposed some of the funding we had for long-term development to put into coronavirus response and we are supplying food to close to 2,000 households in six communes here in Kinshasa. And we plan to extend this project to further communes.
We learned from Ebola that the involvement of young people is very, very important. We have three projects to give young people proper information on coronavirus, and they spread that information to other young people on WhatsApp. And they will be telling other young people “Have you seen this? Did you know you have to do this?” And this has spread, and we’ve seen a lot of impact from this.
The Catholic Church has community radios all over DR Congo, and using those community radios is also critical because people use their local jargons. So using those local people who are already known on the radio in the community was also critical to making sure the message is passed on.
I was born in this country and now I’m 50 years old and my parents always told me there is hope for tomorrow. And many people my age are losing hope in the future of this country, but I’ve not lost hope.
You see a child whom you supported a couple of years ago, and today, the child is going to school, the mother has started a business and has two people working for her because of the microcredit project that CAFOD supplies.
You go to this community that did not have water, because clean water is probably ten kilometres from their village. Then you meet this lady who’s blind, who does not see, and she tells you, you’ve saved my life because now I wash every day. Now my life has a purpose, because I’m also in the committee that manages water, and I meet with people to mingle with them daily. And you come back with your heart full of gratitude.
I think we’ve made that kind of changes and that’s what keeps us going daily.
COVID-19 in DR Congo: assuring alternative education now schools are closed
Now that the Democratic Republic of Congo has closed all schools because of COVID-19, Cordaid supports hundreds of parent committees all over the vast country to organize homeschooling. “There’s no internet, let alone e-learning facilities in the remote areas. Parents now need to teach their kids, and they can use some support”, says Kinshasa-based Programme Director Charlotte Lepri.
On April 6, 161 COVID-19 cases were confirmed in DR Congo, most of them in Kinshasa and a handful in Eastern Congo. 18 people had died from the virus. “So far, the majority of victims and patients ‘imported’ the disease after they returned from infected areas in Europe and Asia”, Lepri says. “That’s why areas as the international airport and the Gombe, the richest part of Kinshasa where most of the COVID-19 cases are, are closely monitored”, she continues.
PROTECTING THE POOREST PARTS OF THE CITY
Currently, a few of the richer parts of Kinshasa have been locked down. “They are trying to prevent the virus from jumping to the densely populated shanty towns if Kinshasa. If it does, it would be a major issue. The fact that cases have been confirmed in the poorer and conflict-affected Eastern part of the country, is a dire sign”, says Lepri. “Hardly any people are tested and, like in the rest of the world, it is really hard to get a clear picture of the spread of the pandemic. But cases and even deaths are bound to be higher in number.”
Early March, Cordaid started to prepare for what was coming. Medical staff from our health care programmes trained colleagues in Kinshasa as well as in the field offices in the east. A lot of the precautions – thorough handwashing, physical distancing – were akin to the ones people still knew from the Ebola crisis.
SCENARIO’S FOR A NEW REALITY
“After this, we worked out confinement scenarios for each of our projects – our vast health care projects, but also those in education, security and justice, and others”, ms Lepri says. “We defined the essentials of our field operations and figured out what could still be done if Cordaid staff worked form home.”
Today, these scenarios are a reality. 90% of Cordaid staff, most of whom are Congolese, works from home, salaries were paid in advance allowing people to stock food and non-food items. Life-saving activities, like medicine distribution for HIV and TB patients, continue with slight delays only. IT systems and connections permitting, home-confined staff works around the clock coordinating, reporting and working out new interventions. International NGOs in DR Congo closely collaborate online to assure humanitarian access and continuity in these times of confinement.
MAROONED IN TRANSIT
Most of the local implementing partner organisations continue field operations while adhering to national measures like distancing and a ban on 20+ gatherings. Air traffic, international and domestic, is practically at a standstill. One of our staff marooned in transit while on his way home. He has been waiting for 10 days. “He is fine”, Lepri says. “We just hope he safely arrives home soon.”
Before launching new COVID-19 interventions, the first response was to redirect ongoing program activities. “We work closely with thousands of health facilities and with schools all over the country. That network in itself is now an asset in the fight against COVID-19”, says Lepri. All these facilities now do what they can to slow down the spread. “First by raising awareness of risks and prevention. Later, once we manage to procure face masks and other material, we hope to equip health centres for COVID-19 health responses.”
CLOSING CLASSES AND FINDING ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF EDUCATION
DR Congo’s most drastic nationwide measure was the closure of schools. Many countries have taken this decision. But unlike richer parts of the world with ample e-learning facilities, Congolese kids have not a lot of alternative means to continue some sort of formal education. In fact, for many of them simply going to school had been a triumph in the first place. Millions of children in rural areas lack the means to go to class. And many schools lack teachers and means to assure quality education. This is why Cordaid’s results-based financing (RBF) programme supports 1350 schools in improving the quality of their services.
“Currently, all schools in DRC temporarily closed their doors”, Lepri explains. “In practice, this means the curriculum of millions of children and adolescents has stopped. Online learning is not an option for the vast majority. This is why we are working closely with hundreds of the parent committees of schools we work with. And with local radios, who broadcast lectures and educational sessions. Through them, we support alternative education, by providing parents with teaching material. But also with clean water, because even that is lacking. Most parents have just one concern, which is to toil for food and other basic needs. By supporting them, and giving them the means, they can organize some forms of education for children. Even in the strict setting of COVID-19 measures”, Lepri says.
MEANWHILE IN KINSHASA
Meanwhile, in Kinshasa, Charlotte Lepri herself is stuck at home, like a few other billion people around the globe. “Streets are empty here, which is a weird sight. Since today, part of the city is locked down. I am doing okay here. But in some other parts of the city, confinement measures might well bar the majority from earning their day’s wages. In the near future, if lockdowns persist, this is something the government, the international community and aid organisations will need to address. This health crisis can lead to a socio-economic crisis very quickly”, she concludes.
Congo authorities discuss plans to save school year
After two months of forced holidays and with an approaching end-of-year examination period, authorities in Africa are searching for solutions to save the academic year.
How to reopen schools and/or continue the curriculum in an all-inclusive way remains a big question. Each government is devising its own plan for life after the COVID-19 lockdown. Today’s focus is on the Republic of Congo. The Minister of Primary, Secondary and Literacy Education, Anatole Collinet Makosso, shared the country’s plan with us.
Congo Closes its border with Rwanda
Rwandans especially traders on the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo are crying foul after Kinshasa imposed new tough travel restrictions to prevent the spread of coronavirus (COVID19).
The decision to close the border, which was quickly condemned by Rwanda’s government, came after a 17th case of the coronavirus was reported in Kigali, forcing Congo to imposed restrictions where only people with passports and laissez-passer are allowed to cross to their territory.
Ordinarily, residents from around the border area have been crossing into the neighbouring country using temporary passes which are given to them upon presenting a national ID.
Local media reported that thousands were stranded since Friday on both sides of the crossing between Goma and the Rwandan towns of Rubavu and Gisenyi, the busiest points along the roughly 100-mile border.
DR Congo has three confirmed cases.
Gilbert Habarimana, the Mayor of Rubavu District was quoted by The New Times as saying that the traffic across the border has significantly reduced because many of the border users are small-scale traders, many of whom don’t have the travel requirements set by DR Congo
The New Times also reported that the situation may mean a reduction in trade activity across the border.
Rwanda’s Health authorities have urged citizens to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus through observing regulations on hygiene like regularly washing their hands with soap and the use of disinfectants.
Other measures include social distancing, avoiding touching faces, and reporting suspicious cases by calling 114, Rwanda Biomedical Centre’s toll-free number.
On Wednesday, the Government of Rwanda announced serious travel restrictions, including halting all passenger flights in and out of the country as a way to fight the spread of COVID-19.
This is in addition to the closure of schools and places of worship and suspended all large gatherings for two weeks, a period which health officials say might be revised based on prevailing circumstances.
More than 209,000 people have been infected globally, of whom at least 86,000 have recovered, while more than 8,700 have died from the outbreak that was earlier this month declared a global pandemic by WHO.
Deadly Ebola virus has flares up in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Five people have died in Mbandaka, a western city more than 750 miles away from another Ebola outbreak in the country. It is unclear how the disease emerged in the city during the lockdown.
A fresh outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus has flared up in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country that was already contending with the world’s largest measles epidemic, as well as the coronavirus.
Congo’s health ministry said that the new Ebola outbreak has killed four people, and infected at least two more, in Mbandaka, a city of 1.2 million people on the country’s western side. A fifth person died on Monday, according to UNICEF, the United Nations agency for children.
Less than two months ago, Congo was about to declare an official end to an Ebola epidemic on the eastern side of the country that had lasted nearly two years and killed more than 2,275 people. Then, with just two days to go, a new case was found, and the outbreak could not be declared over. But officials say it is in its final stages.
It is unclear how Ebola emerged in Mbandaka, which is about 750 miles west of the nearly-vanquished outbreak on the country’s eastern edge. Congo (formerly known as Zaire) is the largest country in sub-Saharan Africa, and has been under travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
Reported cases of coronavirus have so far been mostly in the capital, Kinshasa, also in the country’s west. Congo has reported 3,049 cases of coronavirus, including 71 deaths, but testing is limited, so it is impossible to know the true scale of the outbreak.
More than 350,000 people have been infected with measles in the country since January 2019, and over 6,500 have died.
Dr. Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, wrote on Twitter that although the new outbreak of Ebola posed a challenge, the W.H.O., along with Congo’s health ministry and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, was ready to tackle it.
“With each experience, we respond faster and more effectively,” Dr. Moeti wrote.
The five people who died included a 15-year-old girl, according to UNICEF. Two other patients were being treated in the isolation unit of a city hospital.
Ebola causes fever, bleeding, weakness and abdominal pain, and kills about half of those it infects. It is transmitted through contact with sick or dead people or animals and is named for the Ebola River, in Congo, where it was first identified, in 1976.
The largest known outbreak of Ebola erupted in 2014 in the West African countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, and killed more than 11,000 people. But since then, researchers have developed vaccines and treatment methods that can limit transmission of the disease.
This is not the first time that Ebola has hit Mbandaka, an equatorial port city on the Congo River. An outbreak in May 2018 resulted in at least 54 cases and 33 deaths in the area. But the W.H.O. delivered more than 7,500 doses of an Ebola vaccine to Congo, and the outbreak in Mbandaka was quickly brought under control. It was declared over on July 24 of that year.
In eastern Congo, ongoing violence and insecurity that has forced people to flee their homes have also made it difficult to end the epidemic. By comparison, the western Équateur Province, where the new Ebola cases have emerged, is relatively safe and stable.
There have been many outbreaks of Ebola in Congo over many years, and most have been resolved relatively quickly.
The government imposed travel restrictions between the country’s provinces in response to the coronavirus outbreak, which may now also help limit the spread of Ebola from Mbandaka.
The double burden of coronavirus and Ebola in eastern DRC
Guylaine Masika, a nurse in the city of Butembo, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, fell ill from Ebola in September 2018, after unknowingly treating an infected person.
She was among the first victims of Ebola in her city, which led to her entire extended family ostracizing her. She is a widowed mother of four. For her, the impacts of her Ebola infection have been lasting.
“I continue to experience stigmatization at the societal level. I can’t forget these pains in my life,” she said.
Now, the news that COVID-19 has come to DRC has added to her burden of stress. She worries about the impact the disease could have on her body, if she were to contract it, given the long-term toll that Ebola might have had on her immune system.
“There’s the risks that the outbreak could blow up all over again if you have cases in the community that are not identified,” she said.
For those living in the Eastern Congo, COVID-19 comes to complicate an already complicated situation, as the region struggles from both armed conflict and an Ebola outbreak that has lasted nearly two years and infected thousands.
There was cautious optimism that the Ebola outbreak was over. But two days before the World Health Organization could declare its end, on April 10, a new case emerged.
Now, there are seven confirmed Ebola cases. This includes four deaths, one recovery, one person in ongoing treatment, and one who escaped from the treatment centre. There are about 1,000 personal contacts that have been linked to these cases.
The person who escaped from the treatment centre is believed to be in an area with armed groups, making it difficult for health workers to find him, said Michel Yao, WHO’s an emergency operations manager in Africa.
It is concerning that there haven’t yet been new cases identified, as a result of this case, given that he has been in the community for over two weeks, said Trish Newport, deputy manager of Médecins Sans Frontières’ Ebola programs in DRC.
Managing both outbreaks
Luckily, COVID-19 has not yet hit eastern DRC in large numbers. Health authorities have reported only 13 confirmed cases in the region, according to WHO. Cases have been sporadic and widespread community transmission has not been detected.
Ebola response activities are largely able to continue amidst the pandemic, with new messaging on COVID-19 integrated into the response, said Pauline Schibli, Ebola programs director at Mercy Corps.
Some activities had to be stopped because of COVID-19, including some community outreach campaigns on Ebola that involved mass gatherings, such as meetings at churches or mosques, said Robert Ghosn, operation manager for the Ebola response for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. But there are still ongoing door-to-door campaigns, with precautions, and interactive radio programs.
But moving forward, the response could be severely hampered if there were a strict lockdown in the region, although this type of lockdown in eastern DRC is not anticipated in the near future, Schibli said. This could impact efforts to treat Ebola patients and conduct contact tracing.
There are concerns that more Ebola cases could also emerge from survivors of the disease, because it’s possible their bodily fluids, particularly through sexual contact, can cause new infections, according to Dr. Olivier Ngadjole, health adviser to Medair DRC.
While some parts of the Ebola response are similar to that of COVID-19, there are also stark differences. COVID-19 is much more contagious, while Ebola is much more deadly.
Ebola responders learned the hard way that telling people what to do, without listening to them, doesn’t work, Ghosn said. Community messaging has to be adapted. For example, it might not work to impose social distancing in eastern DRC because of COVID-19 because of people’s need to earn a daily wage. A health responder instead might need to go to the market with community members and strategize how to create more space in the market to keep people apart, for example.
A consortium of NGOs that collects information on community perceptions is finding that there is a lot of confusion and suspicion around COVID-19, Schibli said.
There are questions about whether Ebola still exists or if Ebola has morphed into COVID-19, she said. There are also accusations that the “reintroduction” of Ebola was intentional, a plot by international actors to maintain funding.
Controversies surrounding potential COVID-19 vaccine tests in Africa has also damaged the perception of the Ebola vaccine for some who have conflated the two different vaccines — which has caused some renewed resistance to it, she added.
In the streets of Kinshasa, some young people are heard singing in the language of Lingala: “corona eza té” or “coronavirus does not exist.”
From its system that collects feedback from communities, IFRC is seeing that there are also high levels of community concern over COVID-19.
“The messages we are getting from the community regarding COVID is one of very, very deep fear — even deeper and stronger than what we had at the highest of the Ebola outbreak,” Ghosn said.
Resources are now divided between responding to the coronavirus, Ebola, as well as other outbreaks in the region, including measles, WHO’s Yao said. WHO has been forced to tap into its own emergency funds for the Ebola response because donor funding isn’t sufficient, he said.
There are also significant challenges around testing for COVID-19. Samples are collected and sent to Kinshasa for the results, he added.
The restrictions around movement for COVID-19 are more severe than they were for Ebola, which is impacting the local economy. The capital city of Kinshasa is under lockdown, which has repercussions across the country, and the land border with Uganda is closed, which is the source of livelihood for millions of people, Ghosn said.
“COVID is already having very dire humanitarian consequences in eastern DRC, irrespective of the number of cases,” Ghosn said.
Timothée Kyatsi, a 23-year-old cosmetics trader from Butembo, had his goods blocked in Kampala when the border closed. He has been forced to raise the price of his products and has resorted to smuggling some of his goods across the border.
“My business is not doing well because of this corona. My customers tell me that they only have money for their food,” he said.
Because of these restrictions, it’s also difficult to bring in more exports and supplies to strengthen the response, as international flights out of the region have stopped, Ghosn said.
But despite the challenges of managing the responses to both diseases simultaneously, there are some advantages that the region has now in tackling COVID-19 because it has gone through the Ebola response.
One is that there are already health experts on the ground. For example, WHO still has more than 200 staff, technical experts, as well as support staff. There is also existing capacity in communities to respond to an outbreak and systems in place for health workers to engage with these communities.
Another is that unlike other countries that are halting vaccination campaigns because of COVID-19, the government of DRC is allowing measles vaccinations to continue. It’s learned that it was possible to conduct these campaigns, with precautions, during Ebola, so it believes it’s also possible during this pandemic, Newport said.
But as the weeks and months wear on, there is concern about capacity if COVID-19 cases were to drastically increase.
The health systems are weak and hospitals are not equipped to fight coronavirus. Mortality rate could be as high as 10% in the country, said Jean-Jacques Muyembe, the doctor leading Congo’s Ebola and COVID-19 responses.
“There is no shortcut here. There’s no easy answer. It will be long, and it will be difficult,” Ghosn said.
COVID-19 Updates
There have been confirmed cases of COVID-19 (coronavirus) in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Local authorities in countries and territories with confirmed cases of COVID-19 may impose containment measures including travel restrictions and quarantine requirements to prevent the spread of the virus.
Such measures may be imposed at short notice and specific details may change rapidly, including where and to whom they apply to and for how long. All travellers should stay informed of measures being taken by authorities in the areas they are travelling to. We recommend that all travellers consult the official website or the nearest embassy or consulate of your country or territory of destination to find out about any border controls and other measures that may apply to you.
The double burden of coronavirus and Ebola in eastern DRC
GOMA, Congo — Guylaine Masika, a nurse in the city of Butembo, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, fell ill from Ebola in September 2018, after unknowingly treating an infected person.
She was among the first victims of Ebola in her city, which led to her entire extended family ostracizing her. She is a widowed mother of four. For her, the impacts of her Ebola infection have been lasting.
“I continue to experience stigmatization at the societal level. I can’t forget these pains in my life,” she said.
Now, the news that COVID-19 has come to DRC has added to her burden of stress. She worries about the impact the disease could have on her body, if she were to contract it, given the long-term toll that Ebola might have had on her immune system.
For those living in the Eastern Congo, COVID-19 comes to complicate an already complicated situation, as the region struggles from both armed conflict and an Ebola outbreak that has lasted nearly two years and infected thousands.
There was cautious optimism that the Ebola outbreak was over. But two days before the World Health Organization could declare its end, on April 10, a new case emerged.
Now, there are seven confirmed Ebola cases. This includes four deaths, one recovery, one person in ongoing treatment, and one who escaped from the treatment center. There are about 1,000 personal contacts that have been linked to these cases.
The person who escaped from the treatment center is believed to be in an area with armed groups, making it difficult for health workers to find him, said Michel Yao, WHO’s emergency operations manager in Africa.
It is concerning that there haven’t yet been new cases identified, as a result of this case, given that he has been in the community for over two weeks, said Trish Newport, deputy manager of Médecins Sans Frontières’ Ebola programs in DRC.
Coronavirus – Democratic Republic of the Congo: UNHCR Update on COVID-19 Response
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency is warning that the latest rounds of violence in eastern parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) displacing thousands of people could unleash terrible consequences for the country as it grapples to initiate a new fight against the deadly coronavirus.
More than five million people have been uprooted by conflict within the DRC’s borders, the single-largest internally displaced population in Africa. The country also hosts over half a million refugees, fleeing unrest and persecution in the neighboring countries.
Recent attacks in North Kivu and Ituri provinces are reported to have displaced more than 35,000 people in recent weeks including some 25,000 in villages south of Lubero territory.
In the meantime, security has deteriorated in the Djugu Territory in Ituri province, where a growing number of attacks by unknown assailants have displaced over 12,000 persons so far this month.
These attacks hamper humanitarian access, hinder assistance to desperate displaced people, and disrupt vital coordination on COVID-19 prevention and sensitization.
Ongoing violence and insecurity in other parts of the country could also make it harder for the displaced to access public health facilities. Many areas and sites hosting displaced people are also overcrowded, making it difficult to implement physical and social distancing.
As confirmed cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in DRC with 287 confirmed cases and 23 deaths, mainly in the capital Kinshasa, UNHCR is working closely with other UN and humanitarian partners to prevent the spread of the disease among refugees and the internally displaced. At the same time, we continue our activities to protect and assist refugees and internally displaced people.
As to date, no cases of COVID-19 infection have been reported among refugees and asylum seekers in the DRC. UNHCR is redoubling its efforts to implement prevention and response measures in refugee camps and sites.
We are extremely concerned that insecurity and diminishing humanitarian access will generate major challenges for the country, already overwhelmed and under-resourced with its health services.
Insecurity in the East had forced UNHCR partners to withdraw staff from displacement sites in Drodro and Bule in the Ituri province at the end of March, leaving displaced people without effective support. UNHCR and its partners have facilitated the establishment of 14 humanitarian committees to temporarily provide remote management, until the security situation improves.
Our efforts also continue against COVID-19 despite challenges in many other parts of DRC – as we draw lessons from the world’s second-largest Ebola epidemic, which has been affecting the country since 2018.
UNHCR is strengthening its regular health and sanitization activities in camps, sites and transit centres where possible. The present prevention COVID-19 measures include temperature screening at entry points of camps, sites and transit centres, and have installed some 365 hand-washing stations, and carried out an initial distribution of more than 23,000 soap bars.
UNHCR is also conducting mass awareness-raising activities on health measures being implemented by the Government and on guidance on preventive measures to lower the risk of infection.
Refugees and displaced persons often express fears about the virus, mainly as a result of misinformation. While physical distancing can be challenging in overcrowded camps or settlements, the advice to regularly wash hands is globally keenly followed.
Across DRC, UNHCR is also supporting the national healthcare system to scale-up its response. We are for instance setting up three isolation centres in the Kasai province where patients with COVID-19 symptoms will be referred to for treatment, hence limiting the burden on public hospitals and health structures.
We are also, together with our partners, delivering medical equipment, beds, masks, gloves and other materials to help address critical shortages in areas hosting refugees and internally displaced persons. These are often in remote locations where there is already a lack of basic healthcare infrastructure and frequent medicine supply shortages.
Meanwhile, we are maintaining existing programmes where possible. We continue to assist with cash-based interventions to support the displaced in North Kivu province to meet a variety of needs, including access to food, healthcare and shelter. We are now using mobile money transfers to reduce physical contacts and have provided over 5,900 internally displaced households with mobile phones and SIM cards.
Furthermore, nearly some 2,000 Burundian asylum-seekers who have recently arrived and remain in a transit centre in South Kivu province, will be transferred to a permanent settlement. Temporary shelters are currently under construction and these new arrivals will remain in quarantine for 14 days and will receive cash for shelter to build their own shelters through mobile money transfers.
UNHCR continues its advocacy for equal access to refugees and displaced people in the national health systems being put in place to fight COVID-19.
Operational context
On 24 March, President Tshisekedi declared a countrywide state of emergency, and shut down national borders to stop the spread of COVID-19. While most COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in Kinshasa, a first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in Ituri Province on 27 March according to WHO, while two additional cases were confirmed in South Kivu Province on 29 March. As part of the measures taken to prevent further spreading of COVID-19, the DRC Government has banned gathering of more than 20 persons, and ordered the closure of schools, universities, churches, restaurants and other public spaces for four weeks, from 19 March. As most cases have been identified in Kinshasa, the DRC Government has also banned all travel of persons from Kinshasa to the provinces and vice versa, and only is allowing cargo shipments.
Democratic Republic of Congo: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation Report
Situation Overview and Humanitarian Needs
As of 16 April 2020, the cumulative total of confirmed cases of COVID-19 infection is 287.
In total, there have been 23 deaths and 25 people recovered. More specifically:
• 101 suspected cases are under investigation;
• 20 new confirmed cases were recorded in Kinshasa;
• 2 new people recovered;
• 1 new death of confirmed cases;
• 9% Case Fatality Rate (CFR);
• 141 samples tested;
• The other cases not indicated are either hospitalized or taken care of off-site by the response teams.
Kinshasa remains the epicenter of the epidemic, with 95.6% (255/267) of all confirmed cases. The most affected Health Zones in Kinshasa are: La Gombe, Binza-Meteo, Binza -Ozone, Limete and Kintambo.
A new health zone is affected in Kinshasa, Kalamu II, which brings to 30 the total number of Health Zones affected in the country.
The humanitarian situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) continues to deteriorate due to the activities of armed groups, intra and inter-ethnic/communal violent conflicts, epidemics, natural disasters, and food insecurity. According to the 2020 Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance will increase from 12.8 million in 2019 to 15.9 million in 2020. Of these, 8.4 million people lack basic access to WASH services and 8.6 million vulnerable persons lack protection. Furthermore, 5 million internally displaced persons (between October 2017 and September 2019, of which 2.9 million are children) and 2.1 million returnees (from April 2018) are registered.
In this context, the COVID-19 outbreak is creating significant additional pressure on the already overburdened health and social service delivery systems, exacerbating the vulnerabilities of affected populations.
Respecting Rights Key Amid Covid-19
(Kinshasa) – The Democratic Republic of Congo’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic should prioritize support for low-income communities, displaced people, and others at greatest risk, Human Rights Watch said today.
The Congolese government should quickly begin an effective communications strategy to provide accurate, timely information about measures to contain the coronavirus. The government should also prepare for disruption in food security and access to health care, and ensure that health workers are protected. And the authorities should direct the security forces to enforce the law while respecting basic rights.
“Congo’s government needs to react to the overwhelming Covid-19 crisis with a global approach that respects not only the health but all rights of everyone in the country,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The government should develop aid strategies with local and international partners to reach the most vulnerable populations and ensure that health workers can do their jobs safely.”
Congolese health officials have confirmed 134 Covid-19 cases as of April 2, 2020, with 13 deaths. Most cases have been in the capital, Kinshasa, while a handful have been reported in cities in eastern Congo. However, as elsewhere in the world, the actual number of cases is most likely higher since testing is limited and many with the virus may not show symptoms.
The Congolese government has already taken steps to stop the spread of the virus, including restricting all forms of internal and international travel except for cargo; banning large gatherings; closing bars, restaurants, places of worship and schools; and shutting down borders. Instructions have been given to erect water points for hand washing in public areas, but Human Rights Watch has found that many districts in cities and towns are still awaiting equipment. While public health information campaigns are being rolled out, these efforts should be scaled up nationwide, including by involving respected community leaders and institutions and ensuring that all communications are translated into local languages and dialects.
The National Institute for Biomedical Research, based in Kinshasa, coordinates testing and processes all samples across the country of 80 million people. The government should decentralize its testing capacities to identify people infected with Covid-19 more effectively, and isolate and start treating positive cases faster, Human Rights Watch said.
“In Kinshasa, our teams don’t have enough vehicles, and we can only test about 80 people a day [for Covid-19],” a medical worker told Human Rights Watch. The worker said they lack protective equipment and wear the same masks all day. Many health workers await transport to enable them to work and they do not know how and when they will be paid.
Kinshasa residents say that people having potential Covid-19 symptoms struggle to get through to hotlines made available to alert the health authorities about suspected cases.
Medical workers who have reviewed official documents outlining health system capacity, also seen by Human Rights Watch, raised concerns that hospitals designated to treat Covid-19’s sickest patients remain underequipped. Only a few dozen ventilators are available throughout the country, hospitals lack oxygen supplies, and functional intensive care units are scarce.
Kinshasa’s provincial governor, Gentiny Ngobila, announced on April 2 that Kinshasa’s business district, Gombe, will be on total lockdown for 14 days, starting on April 6. As officials consider extending the lockdown to other districts and cities, they should recognize that strictly confining people at home will hurt millions who work in the informal sector and live hand-to-mouth. The government should take steps to the maximum of available resources so that people have sufficient food and access to clean water. The authorities should work with neighborhood and community groups, houses of worship, and local and international aid organizations to ensure everyone’s health and well-being, including by organizing food and water distributions in the most at-risk neighborhoods. The government and its partners should also address health issues other than Covid-19.
Distrust, misinformation, and suspicion during the response to an Ebola outbreak in late 2018 in eastern Congo sparked violence against health workers, helping the virus spread while critical assistance was partially suspended.
On March 26, Kinshasa’s governor had announced that the entire city would begin an intermittent lockdown for three weeks, starting on March 28. Crowds of panicked residents rushed to banks, shops, and markets to stock up on food and goods, causing prices of staples to skyrocket. On the evening of March 27, the authorities suspended the lockdown plans, revealing disagreements between provincial officials and the central government.
When the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in Congo on March 10, there was confusion as information from the health minister and regional government officials was sometimes inaccurate. Civil society groups and many Congolese have expressed their frustration as the government struggled to communicate accurate information and an effective plan in response to the pandemic.
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has put prevention measures in place in camps for internally displaced people and refugees that should be urgently ramped up to all sites. More than five million displaced people live in dire conditions across the country and are already in need of life-saving assistance, including food, water, and health care. Covid-19 could put displaced people and refugees at a heightened risk of mortality should the virus reach the camps.
State security forces, in responding to lawbreaking and violence, should respect human rights including only using force when strictly necessary. On March 29, Gen. Sylvano Kasongo, the head of police in Kinshasa, appeared to be ordering police officers to beat a motorcycle-taxi driver, in apparent “punishment” for violating social distancing measures, video footage indicated.
On March 30, the police killed at least 3 people and wounded 11 others, according to a UN source, when they fired live rounds at members of the Bundu dia Kongo politico-religious movement who were demonstrating in Kinshasa to “chase the spirit of the coronavirus.” The authorities should issue clear orders to the security forces that they are to act with restraint while enforcing restrictions in place.
“The Congolese government’s response to the pandemic should start with a robust communication plan to gain the people’s trust,” Mudge said. “But it will need to quickly put in place rights-respecting humanitarian measures. The survival of millions of people will depend on it.”
DR Congo declares COVID-19 emergency after deaths
Borders are closed and travel banned to and from the capital after four people die from virus and more than 50 new cases are confirmed.
Four people have died in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from the new coronavirus, and more than 50 new cases have been confirmed. President Felix Tshisekedi has declared an emergency.
Borders are closed and travel to and from the capital, Kinshasa, has been banned.
DR Congo confirms first coronavirus case
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced the country’s first case of the novel coronavirus Tuesday.
A Belgian citizen who has been in the country for several days tested positive for the coronavirus said Health Minister Eteni Longondo.
The person was put in quarantine in a hospital in the capital city Kinshasa, he added.
”I would like to announce to the Congolese population that we diagnosed this morning the first case of coronavirus. It has been discovered in a Belgian national who has come to stay here for a few days,” Longondo said.
But he said there is no need to panic because the situation is under control and urged the public to calm down but put in practice preventive measures, especially those involving cleanliness.
The virus originated in China but has reached over 100 countries, with the World Health Organization (WHO) saying Monday that the “threat of a pandemic has become very real.”
The global death toll from the coronavirus is now over 4,000, with nearly 114,000 confirmed cases.
As part of efforts to contain the outbreak, some governments closed borders and suspended land and air travel with the worst-hit countries.
No new Ebola cases in three weeks
Also, no new Ebola cases have been confirmed for the last three weeks in the DRC.
The WHO recommends waiting two full incubation periods, or 42 days, after the last person tests negative a second time before declaring the end of the outbreak.
Ebola, a tropical fever which first appeared in 1976 in Sudan and the DRC, can be transmitted to humans from wild animals.
At the peak of the Ebola outbreak, more than 120 cases were being reported each week, with cases appearing 1,200 kilometres apart.
Ebola caused global alarm in 2014 when the world’s worst outbreak began in West Africa, killing more than 11,300 people and infecting an estimated 28,600 as it swept through Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
DR Congo: Respecting Rights Key Amid Covid-19
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic should prioritize support for low-income communities, displaced people, and others at greatest risk, Human Rights Watch said today.
The Congolese government should quickly begin an effective communications strategy to provide accurate, timely information about measures to contain the coronavirus. The government should also prepare for disruption in food security and access to health care, and ensure that health workers are protected. And the authorities should direct the security forces to enforce the law while respecting basic rights.
“Congo’s government needs to react to the overwhelming Covid-19 crisis with a global approach that respects not only the health but all rights of everyone in the country,” said Lewis Mudge, Central Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “The government should develop aid strategies with local and international partners to reach the most vulnerable populations and ensure that health workers can do their jobs safely.”
Congolese health officials have confirmed 134 Covid-19 cases as of April 2, 2020, with 13 deaths. Most cases have been in the capital, Kinshasa, while a handful has been reported in cities in eastern Congo. However, as elsewhere in the world, the actual number of cases is most likely higher since testing is limited and many with the virus may not show symptoms.
The Congolese government has already taken steps to stop the spread of the virus, including restricting all forms of internal and international travel except for cargo; banning large gatherings; closing bars, restaurants, places of worship and schools; and shutting down borders. Instructions have been given to erect water points for hand washing in public areas, but Human Rights Watch has found that many districts in cities and towns are still awaiting equipment. While public health information campaigns are being rolled out, these efforts should be scaled up nationwide, including by involving respected community leaders and institutions and ensuring that all communications are translated into local languages and dialects.
The National Institute for Biomedical Research, based in Kinshasa, coordinates testing and processes all samples across the country of 80 million people. The government should decentralize its testing capacities to identify people infected with Covid-19 more effectively, and isolate and start treating positive cases faster, Human Rights Watch said.
“In Kinshasa, our teams don’t have enough vehicles, and we can only test about 80 people a day [for Covid-19],” a medical worker told Human Rights Watch. The worker said they lack protective equipment and wear the same masks all day. Many health workers await transport to enable them to work and they do not know how and when they will be paid.
Kinshasa residents say that people having potential Covid-19 symptoms struggle to get through to hotlines made available to alert the health authorities about suspected cases.
Medical workers who have reviewed official documents outlining health system capacity, also seen by Human Rights Watch, raised concerns that hospitals designated to treat Covid-19’s sickest patients remain underequipped. Only a few dozen ventilators are available throughout the country, hospitals lack oxygen supplies, and functional intensive care units are scarce.
Kinshasa’s provincial governor, Gentiny Ngobila, announced on April 2 that Kinshasa’s business district, Gombe, will be on total lockdown for 14 days, starting on April 6. As officials consider extending the lockdown to other districts and cities, they should recognize that strictly confining people at home will hurt millions who work in the informal sector and live hand-to-mouth. The government should take steps to the maximum of available resources so that people have sufficient food and access to clean water. The authorities should work with neighbourhood and community groups, houses of worship and local and international aid organizations to ensure everyone’s health and well-being, including by organizing food and water distributions in the most at-risk neighborhoods. The government and its partners should also address health issues other than Covid-19.
Distrust, misinformation, and suspicion during the response to an Ebola outbreak in late 2018 in eastern Congo sparked violence against health workers, helping the virus spread while critical assistance was partially suspended.
On March 26, Kinshasa’s governor had announced that the entire city would begin an intermittent lockdown for three weeks, starting on March 28. Crowds of panicked residents rushed to banks, shops, and markets to stock up on food and goods, causing prices of staples to skyrocket. On the evening of March 27, the authorities suspended the lockdown plans, revealing disagreements between provincial officials and the central government.
When the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in Congo on March 10, there was confusion as information from the health minister and regional government officials was sometimes inaccurate. Civil society groups and many Congolese have expressed their frustration as the government struggled to communicate accurate information and an effective plan in response to the pandemic.
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, has put prevention measures in place in camps for internally displaced people and refugees that should be urgently ramped up to all sites. More than five million displaced people live in dire conditions across the country and are already in need of life-saving assistance, including food, water, and health care. Covid-19 could put displaced people and refugees at a heightened risk of mortality should the virus reach the camps.
State security forces, in responding to lawbreaking and violence, should respect human rights including only using force when strictly necessary. On March 29, Gen. Sylvano Kasongo, the head of police in Kinshasa, appeared to be ordering police officers to beat a motorcycle-taxi driver, in apparent “punishment” for violating social distancing measures, video footage indicated.
On March 30, the police killed at least 3 people and wounded 11 others, according to a UN source, when they fired live rounds at members of the Bundu dia Kongo politico-religious movement who were demonstrating in Kinshasa to “chase the spirit of the coronavirus.” The authorities should issue clear orders to the security forces that they are to act with restraint while enforcing restrictions in place.
“The Congolese government’s response to the pandemic should start with a robust communication plan to gain the people’s trust,” Mudge said. “But it will need to quickly put in place rights-respecting humanitarian measures. The survival of millions of people will depend on it.”
Democratic Republic of the Congo Extends Isolation Measures as of April 6-20
Authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have imposed updated restrictions to stem the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) as of April 6:
Existing measures since March 26:
Penalties for persons violating lockdown regulations are unclear. Security forces will be deployed to ensure compliance. Security forces in the DRC may use force to ensure compliance.
The DRC declared a state of emergency effective March 24 to limit the spread of COVID-19. Additional restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the DRC are possible in the coming days.
Background and Analysis
The measures adopted by the government correspond with similar actions taken by other regional governments in recent days in response to the spread of COVID-19. COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease caused by infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus (previously known as 2019-nCoV). Symptoms occur 1-14 days following exposure (average of 3-7 days). These symptoms include fever, fatigue, cough, difficulty breathing, sometimes worsening to pneumonia and kidney failure – especially in those with underlying medical conditions. On March 11, the WHO declared the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.
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