This archive report was first published on 16 July 2019.
Published on July 16, 2019, Rwanda's health ministry urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel to eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after a case of Ebola was discovered in Goma, a city straddling its border with Rwanda.
Goma, with a population of over one million, is the biggest urban hub to have been affected by Ebola since the outbreak began in DR Congo's North Kivu province last August, killing more than 1,600 people.
The health ministry warned citizens not to make unnecessary border crossings and travels to areas in neighboring countries where Ebola has been reported, and also advised against providing accommodation to travelers coming from such areas.
Health Minister Diane Gashumba said the government would not close the border but would bolster monitoring of those coming in and out of DR Congo.
Experts are concerned about the spread of Ebola in urban areas, where contact, mobility, and anonymity make it harder to contain an outbreak than in the countryside.
