No Ebola cases found on quarantined river boat, Congo authorities say

Health authorities in the Congo have confirmed that no Ebola cases were found among passengers on a river boat placed in quarantine near Kinshasa. The boat, which had over 200 travelers on board, was quarantined on August 6, 2026, after one passenger who had been on the vessel died with symptoms matching those of the Bundibugyo virus.

Specialist teams from the Ministry of Health conducted tests on all passengers, and those showing suspicious symptoms had samples taken for analysis. The National Institute of Biomedical Research, responsible for testing, reported that all suspected cases tested negative for the Bundibugyo virus. The Congo is currently dealing with an Ebola outbreak that has been described as the fastest in terms of transmission, with confirmed cases reaching 4,200 and over 1,900 deaths.

The riverboat passenger had fallen ill and disembarked from the boat nearly three weeks prior in Pimu, over 1,000 kilometers from Kinshasa along the Congo River. The outbreak has caused panic in Kinshasa, which has not yet reported any confirmed Ebola cases.