Congolese health officials intercept river boat to test 300 passengers following suspected Ebola death

Health authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo have intercepted a river boat carrying more than 300 passengers near Kinshasa to perform emergency screening following the death of a passenger suspected of having contracted Ebola.

The vessel was stopped in Maluku, located approximately 65 kilometres upstream from the capital, where public health teams deployed a mobile laboratory to conduct clinical evaluations and temperature checks on all individuals aboard.

Medical personnel collected blood samples from four passengers exhibiting feverish symptoms, with laboratory results expected to confirm whether the virus is present.

The precautionary intervention follows the death of a 32-year-old man who travelled on the boat and later tested positive for suspected symptoms of the disease.

Health officials face conflicting accounts regarding the origin of the vessel and where the deceased passenger boarded, as discrepancy remains between regional health directors regarding whether the trip originated in Mongala province or in Kisangani, the capital of Tshopo province, where an active Ebola outbreak is ongoing.

In response to the broader regional health emergency, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention announced plans to expand the administration of vaccines and antiviral treatments, including remdesivir, across affected provinces to contain further transmission.