Apart from Congolese going back and Rwandan who dont intend to return, no one else is allowed to cross back to Rwanda.
Kigali — Government has announced the closure of all border crossings with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), including Rubavu–Goma and Rusizi entry points, following the spread of Ebola cases into eastern Congo’s border cities.
The decision was taken during emergency national and district-level coordination meetings aimed at preventing further cross-border transmission of the virus, which has now been confirmed in Goma and other areas near Rwanda.
Authorities have also completely suspended movement through illegal crossing routes, with intensified security patrols and continuous surveillance along the entire Rwanda–DRC border.
The measures come as the World Health Organization (World Health Organization) has declared the ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern DRC a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The outbreak, centered in Ituri Province (Ituri Province), has reported 246 suspected cases and 80 suspected deaths, with only eight laboratory-confirmed infections so far.
This is Beni, northeastern DRC, during a previous Ebola outbreak
Health officials warn that the virus has already spread beyond eastern Congo to Kinshasa (Kinshasa) and Kampala (Uganda), where two confirmed cases and one death have been recorded.
Four healthcare workers have also died, raising concerns about possible undetected community transmission.
Rwandan authorities confirmed that residents from DRC will no longer be allowed to cross into Rwanda for daily activities such as fetching water, while all handwashing and screening facilities at border points are being reinforced.
A command post has been activated in border districts, with medical teams deployed to conduct screening and monitoring at all entry points. An isolation facility has reportedly also been established in Rugerero for suspected cases.
Rwandan nationals returning from DRC will still be allowed entry but must undergo mandatory testing and quarantine procedures.
Meanwhile, Congolese nationals currently in Rwanda will be permitted to return home under controlled conditions.
Authorities have launched an urgent public awareness campaign targeting communities along the border as the emergency measures take immediate effect.
