DR Congo Boat Quarantined Amid Ebola Concerns After Five Deaths

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:29:34 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Interception of a Chinese‑operated vessel on the Congo River has prompted extensive Ebola and cholera screening as five passengers die from suspected infection.

A Chinese‑operated boat, the Yingfeng 2, halted near Bende Bende port, sparked nationwide alarm after five passenger deaths. Authorities screened all 255 crew and passengers for Ebola and cholera, deploying mobile labs and WHO teams. Despite no confirmed cases, experts warn that premature travel could spread Bundibugyo, the rare Ebola strain triggering the country’s latest outbreak. The incident underscores heightened vigilance as Congo fortifies measures around Kinshasa’s entry points.

DR Congo Boat Quarantined Amid Ebola Concerns After Five Deaths

Congolese authorities carried out Ebola and cholera screening for all 255 passengers on the Yingfeng 2, a Chinese company‑operated vessel intercepted on the Congo River about 65km from Kinshasa.

Health Minister Roger Kamba confirmed the precautionary checks followed the death of a passenger with fever and diarrhea who had been discharged earlier. A second adult, a three‑year‑old child and a newborn have also died.

WHO teams swabbed and tested each person in a mobile laboratory onboard. Kamba assured no positive cases so far and that in the 21‑day incubation window none were likely to test positive.

The vessel left Kisangani, Congo’s third largest city, roughly two weeks ago, travelling over 1,700km toward Kinshasa before interception.

Security services have isolated the Yingfeng 2 offshore in line with WHO protocols to block potential spread into the capital, maintaining public health teams on standby.

Since mid‑May, Congo has reported 3,973 confirmed Ebola cases and 1,801 deaths, making it the second deadliest outbreak in history. Bundibugyo, a rare sub‑species, has no specific treatment or vaccine yet, though trials are underway in the UK.

Weighing the risks, officials emphasize that Ebola’s threat in the region remains a serious public health concern, reinforcing surveillance and rapid‑response capabilities at Kinshasa’s main entry point.