Central African Republic screens travellers arriving from DRC for Ebola
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Africanews and AGP Gabon
Central African authorities stepped up checks on Thursday on travellers arriving from the DRC by the Oubangui, including at the M’Poko Bac landing stage near Bangui, according to AGP Gabon and Africanews. Measures include handwashing, awareness-raising, temperature checks and registration. The DRC accounts for the vast majority of recorded Ebola cases, while trade and economic activities continue along the river.
In Bangui, the Central African authorities stepped up checks on Thursday for travellers crossing the Oubangui each day from the DRC, the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak, according to AGP Gabon and Africanews. At the M’Poko Bac landing stage, in the commune of Bimbo, passengers wash their hands, receive information about the risk, have their temperatures taken and are registered. Maldiana Bagalama, who is in charge of health checks at the site, describes travellers arriving by canoe being processed individually.
The authorities fear the virus could spread from the three Congolese provinces bordering the Central African Republic. The border between the two countries stretches for more than 1,500 kilometres and is poorly monitored, Africanews reports. AGP Gabon says more than 10,000 cases have been recorded in Africa, the vast majority in the DRC, and cases have also been reported in Kenya and Nigeria. Africanews reports about 10,000 cases and nearly 5,000 deaths.
Activities continue along the Oubangui: fishers, canoe operators, fish sellers and sand workers depend on this route between the two countries, AGP Gabon says. Checks at points of entry add to the health cooperation announced by Bangui and Kinshasa on 23 October, according to Africanews.
