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Rwanda has closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, affected by the Ebola virus, after the discovery of a third case of the deadly virus in the border town of Goma, the Congolese presidency said Thursday.
In a statement, he said that there had been a "unilateral decision of the Rwandan authorities" that affected the citizens of both countries who had to cross the border as part of their daily lives.
Goma, a city of two million inhabitants and a transport hub, shares its border with the Rwandan city of Gisenyi, which has more than 85,000 inhabitants.
Cross-border links are intense. Many people have a job on the other side of the border, while others have homes or put their children to school in the nearby city.
"On the basis of a unilateral decision by the Rwandan authorities, Rwandan citizens can not go to Goma and the Congolese can not leave Gisenyi but are prevented from returning home," the statement said.
"This decision is hurting a number of Congolese and expatriates who live in Gisenyi but work in Goma."
The announcement was made just hours after a third case of Ebola was registered in Goma, widening the scope of the outbreak to its first anniversary.
Since August 1, 2018, 1,803 people have lost their lives during the second Ebola outbreak, according to figures released Wednesday.
Two of Goma's three cases died, causing a search for people who had contact with these patients.
Health experts fear outbreaks of contagious diseases in large cities.
In urban areas, population density, anonymity and high mobility greatly complicate the isolation of patients and the search for contact with the campaign.
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