Ebola transit centre burns down in DR Congo camp, UN says

October 1, 2026 at 05:21 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

An Ebola transit centre burned down on Tuesday evening in Kigonze camp, Ituri province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. The UN's senior Ebola response official, Julien Harneis, condemned the blaze and said the loss reduces care capacity for people in need. The camp had sheltered about 19,000 people fleeing violence near the Rwandan border.

Key Facts

The transit centre in Kigonze camp, Ituri province, burned down on Tuesday evening, according to the UN's senior Ebola response official Julien Harneis.
Kigonze camp had sheltered about 19,000 people fleeing violence in eastern DRC near the Rwandan border.
More than 3,000 people fled Rhoe displacement camp in Djugu territory after clashes intensified on 27 September, with at least four killed and seven injured in Blukwa.
Two Ebola response workers were reportedly killed in Lubero, North Kivu province, on 27 and 28 September.
Fighting in Masisi has displaced more than 24,000 people since mid-September.

Transit Centre Fire

The Ebola transit centre in Kigonze camp burned down on Tuesday evening, according to Julien Harneis, the UN's senior Ebola response official in DRC. Harneis described the fire as "deeply disappointing" and said staff had provided "essential and excellent" services to those who needed them. He noted that creating Ebola transit and treatment centres required money, staff, and struggle across eastern DRC. "When we lose a centre, that means we lose capacity, we lose investment and we have to start again," Harneis told UN News. The UN is working with authorities to ensure health facilities are protected, he added.

Displacement and Insecurity

Thousands of people fled Kigonze in recent days following reports that soldiers entered the site searching for weapons and people suspected of belonging to non-State armed groups. Gunfire was also reportedly heard in the area. More than 3,000 people fled Rhoe displacement camp in Djugu territory, Ituri province, after clashes intensified on 27 September. At least four people were reportedly killed and seven injured in Blukwa, while several houses were burned down, according to OCHA. Fighting has severely hampered the Ebola response and restricted humanitarian access to several health zones, including Fataki, Drodro, and Lita.

Regional Violence Impact

In neighbouring North Kivu province, two people involved in the Ebola response were reportedly killed in Lubero on 27 and 28 September. Fighting in Masisi has displaced more than 24,000 people since mid-September. OCHA and humanitarian partners are monitoring the situation and calling on all parties to protect civilians, safeguard displacement camps, and ensure humanitarian access. Violence has also been reported in South Kivu and Tanganyika provinces, forcing thousands more people from their homes and increasing humanitarian needs. Ebola has spread across seven provinces since the public health emergency was declared in mid-May, marking the country's 17th outbreak.