By RFPosted on 01-08-2019Modified on 01-08-2019 at 13:29

Rwanda closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo on Thursday morning, the DRC presidency said in a statement. A decision taken after the announcement of a third case of Ebola in Goma. And just a year to the day, after the Democratic Republic of Congo reported the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in the east of the country.

The exchanges are usually very intense between the large city of Goma, Congolese side, and its neighbor Rwandan, Gisenyi, 85,000 inhabitants. But since five o'clock this Thursday morning, traffic is almost cut.

In a morning statement, the Congolese presidency noted that " the movements of people are one-way ". " Rwandan citizens can not leave for Goma, while Congolese can leave Gisenyi, but are forbidden to return, " says the text.

A detrimental situation for the many people who pass daily between the two cities, including expatriates, who live on one side of the border and work on the other.

The Congolese authorities say they " deplore this decision ", which " goes against the recommendation of the WHO ". The international organization had warned against restricting movements, which directly affect the population and the local economy.

The Rwandan authorities have not yet officially communicated on the subject.

► To (re) listen : Professor Jean-Jacques Muyembe, discoverer of the first Ebola virus in the DRC and leader of the Ebola Response was the guest of RFI this morning.

A third person sick in Goma

This initiative comes as it is known that a third case of Ebola has been identified in Goma. This is the little girl of the goldsmith who died Wednesday of the disease. A Congolese official reports that another of his daughters is currently showing worrying symptoms and that two more of his children are considered high risk.

The authorities are actively working to identify all other people who have been in contact with this man to vaccinate them. Recall that the epidemic has already more than 1800 deaths in one year in the country.

► (re) read : One year of Ebola in the DRC: the challenges of a controversial response

    On the same subject

    DRC: Third case of Ebola detected in Goma

    Ebola control in the DRC: "No pressure in the choice of vaccines" (Head of the Riposte)

    One year of Ebola in the DRC: the challenges of a controversial response

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