Passenger Boat in Congo Quarantined Over Ebola Fears

A riverboat carrying 255 passengers in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been quarantined due to Ebola suspicions. After five passengers lost their lives during the journey and another died in the hospital, authorities initiated Ebola and cholera screenings for all passengers. Health Minister Roger Kamba announced that health teams and World Health Organization experts set up a mobile laboratory on the boat. The 255 passengers on the boat are under the supervision of health teams, and authorities stated that the boat traveled over 1,700 kilometers from Kisangani to the Kinshasa area over approximately two weeks. Since the 17th Ebola outbreak began on May 15, the country has recorded 3,973 confirmed cases and 1,801 deaths.