DR Congo steps up Ebola surveillance along Congo River

The Democratic Republic of the Congo has launched a major emergency operation to prevent Ebola from spreading along the Congo River, a key transport corridor linking several of the country's major population centres.

The "Congo River Without Ebola" initiative, launched Thursday, is designed to strengthen surveillance and preparedness along the river and prevent the outbreak from reaching major cities such as Mbandaka and Kinshasa. Authorities also aim to limit the risk of the virus crossing into neighboring Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic.

The Congo River is heavily used by traders, passengers and transport operators, making it a potential pathway for the rapid movement of Ebola. The World Health Organization's (WHO) Africa office said increased vigilance is therefore critical to detecting infections early and containing transmission.

Measures under the initiative include tighter monitoring at ports and along river routes, community-based alert systems and increased isolation and treatment capacity in Kisangani, Mbandaka, Kwamouth and Kinshasa. Authorities are also preparing mobile laboratories that can operate on the river and contingency plans for quarantining vessels if necessary.

The first phase of the operation will run for three months, with efforts focused on equipping monitoring points, training and strengthening local response teams, and raising awareness among communities living along the river.

According to Body Ilonga, secretary-general of the DR Congo's Health Ministry, rapid detection of suspected infections and breaking chains of transmission would be central to the campaign.

The operation has received $9 million in catalytic funding from the United Nations (UN), mobilized through the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The DR Congo declared the current Ebola outbreak on May 15. It has since become the country's largest and deadliest Ebola outbreak on record and the second-largest recorded globally.