DR Congo Boat Intercepted for Ebola Screening After Four Passengers Die

Sun Sep 06 2026 02:41:26 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A Chinese‑operated vessel was stopped 65km from Kinshasa with 255 passengers aboard; four have died and health authorities are quarantining the boat to curb a potential Ebola outbreak.

The Yingfeng 2, a Chinese‑run passenger boat, was intercepted on the Congo River near Bende Bende port with 255 passengers. Four individuals—two adults, a toddler and a newborn—have died, prompting the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Health Ministry and the World Health Organization to screen the vessel and set up a mobile laboratory. Health Minister Roger Kamba reported no positive Ebola tests yet and expected no cases after 21 days of incubation. The country is currently fighting a Bundibugyo strain outbreak, the second deadliest Ebola epidemic to date, with over 3,900 cases and 1,800 deaths recorded. Authorities have quarantined the vessel offshore and heightened surveillance at Kinshasa’s main entry point, stressing precautionary measures amid growing concern.

DR Congo Boat Intercepted for Ebola Screening After Four Passengers Die

Yingfeng 2, a Chinese-operated passenger vessel, was halted 65km (40 miles) upstream from the capital, Kinshasa, with 255 people aboard.

Health authorities are conducting Ebola and cholera screening for every passenger after a passenger who had fever and diarrhoea died in a hospital earlier in the journey. A further two adults, a three‑year‑old child and a newborn have also passed away.

Teams from the health ministry and the World Health Organization boarded the boat, set up a mobile laboratory and are performing virology tests.

Health Minister Roger Kamba told reporters that, so far, no one has tested positive and that it is unlikely any will after the 21‑day incubation period has elapsed.

Yingfeng 2 departed from Kisangani, DR Congo’s third largest city, about two weeks ago. The vessel had traveled more than 1,700km downstream towards Kinshasa before being intercepted.

DR Congo has been grappling with its 17th Ebola outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain which had not been seen for over a decade. There is no specific treatment or vaccine for this strain, though human trials for a vaccine are underway in the United Kingdom.

Official figures show 3,973 confirmed cases and 1,801 deaths, making it the second deadliest Ebola outbreak. Over 17,000 people are under monitoring after contact with confirmed cases, 674 patients are in isolation or treatment across five provinces, and 776 have recovered.

In Kinshasa, authorities are reinforcing surveillance and rapid‑response capacity at Maluku, the city’s main entry point. While the measures are precautionary, officials emphasize the gravity of the situation as the outbreak continues to rise.

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