Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
On 16 July, the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) deployed a base near the town of Nyakunde in Ituri Province, adjacent to the local Ebola Treatment Centre, to enhance security for hospitals and patients affected by the Ebola outbreak. This deployment followed violent incidents, including the vandalism of the treatment centre on 15 July and clashes resulting in five deaths linked to the killing of a local militia leader. Since the government declared the current outbreak on 15 May, national health authorities have recorded over 2,500 cases and more than 1,000 deaths. Attacks on at least a dozen health facilities have been reported, fueled by fear, misinformation, and deep community mistrust toward external actors.
According to MONUSCO, its presence near Nyakunde has helped restore calm, enabling residents displaced by violence to return. Major Atiqur, commander of the new mobile base, stated that the local population has responded positively, recognizing the mission's role in providing security and protecting the Ebola Treatment Centre. The nearby treatment centre, adjacent to Nyakunde General Referral Hospital with 31 beds, has seen a decrease in patient admissions, dropping from six or seven daily cases to two or three, according to Dr. Charles Kashindi, the hospital's medical director. Local health officials have requested that MONUSCO establish a permanent presence to safeguard patients during treatment.
In eastern DR Congo, ongoing conflict between the national armed forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group persists, especially in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that at least 60 civilians were killed since 12 July along the border of North Kivu and Ituri, the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak. On one occasion, 30 people were killed near the town of Mambasa. Additionally, 25,000 displaced persons have recently arrived in the town of Beni, sheltering with vulnerable host families or in abandoned buildings.
OCHA has expressed concern about recent Ebola cases detected in Kisangani, highlighting the risk of the virus spreading further west across the Congo River into other parts of the country. The UN and humanitarian partners are preparing for the potential expansion of the outbreak.