Full Breakdown
Bunia Airport Reopens Amid Ebola Outbreak in Eastern DRC
6/2/2026, 9:53:41 PM
Airport Reopens Amid Ebola Crisis
On 1 June 2026 the DRC Transport Ministry announced the immediate reopening of Bunia Airport in Ituri province, ending a ten-day suspension of commercial flights imposed on 23 May. All passengers must undergo temperature screening, hand-washing, and anyone with fever is barred from boarding.
Outbreak Overview
The Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, declared a WHO public-health emergency on 15 May, is the DRC’s 17th and third-largest outbreak. No licensed vaccine exists; three experimental candidates are in early trials. By early June the virus had reached 15 of 36 health zones in Ituri and spread to North and South Kivu and Uganda. Government data list 321 confirmed infections and 48 deaths. WHO notes suspected cases fell to 116 from a peak of 906, while Africa CDC earlier reported 1,139 suspected cases and 246 deaths across the DRC and Uganda. Contact tracing covers only 43 % of identified contacts, far below the 95 % target.
Official Statements
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said, “I saw some encouraging signs in the response, including five certified recoveries,” and urged expanded testing. Transport ministry ordered temperature checks and referral of febrile passengers to National Border Hygiene Program. Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said suspension was needed “to put health measures in place to protect travellers.” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier noted suspected cases have been cleared after alternative diagnoses.
Criticism and Opposition
The International Rescue Committee warned the outbreak is “probably significantly larger and more advanced than official figures suggest,” citing months of undetected spread. Bunia residents said the flight ban cut off essential supplies, intensifying humanitarian concerns.
Conflicting Reports
DRC officials report 48 deaths; Africa CDC and the IRC estimate about 246 deaths region-wide. Suspected case numbers range from WHO’s 116 to Africa CDC’s 1,139. Affected zones are listed as 15 of 36 in Ituri versus 23 health zones across eastern DRC. Contact-tracing remains far below the 95 % target.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Any passenger presenting with a fever will not be allowed to board and will be immediately referred to agents of the National Border Hygiene Program (PNHF) for assessment and management in accordance with current health protocols,” — DRC Ministry of Transport
- “Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said the authorities needed to put health measures in place to protect travellers.” — Samuel Roger Kamba, Health Minister
- “the current evolution of the disease shows a decrease in community transmission,” — DRC health officials
- “The health risk is "high" for countries neighbouring the DRC but remains "low" at the global level, according to the WHO.” — World Health Organization
Future Outlook
DRC authorities plan to scale up rapid diagnostic testing, expand isolation wards, and accelerate experimental vaccine trials. Airport screening will remain mandatory, and neighboring states have heightened border surveillance to monitor cross-border spread.
