RDC: Mouvement Citoyen Filimbi – Communique – Le 23 Decembre 2018 Marquera le Debut de la Resistance Populaire Jusqu’a La Victoire!!! (14.12.2018)

RDC: VICI-RDC – Communique Officiel – “Viliance, Cioyenne” (15.12.2018)

Ebola virus disease – Democratic Republic of the Congo (14.12.2018)

Non-engagement from communities and conflict continue to hamper response activities in some affected areas.

GENEVA, Switzerland, December 14, 2018 – The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is occurring in an unforgiving context. Non-engagement from communities and conflict continue to hamper response activities in some affected areas. Moreover, poor infection prevention and control (IPC) practices across numerous private and public health centers remain a major source of amplification of the outbreak and risk to health and other frontline workers.

Despite these challenges, substantial progress has been made on multiple fronts to address the situation, and daily successes are being observed in the implementation of proven public health measures alongside newer tools, such as vaccination and novel therapeutics. Together with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and our partners, WHO is further scaling up our response to the developing situation. WHO especially emphasizes the need to continuously improve quality, judiciously deploy new tools at our disposal, and sustain international commitment to response efforts well into 2019. Nonetheless, we remain confident the outbreak can be brought to a conclusion.

During the reporting period (5 through 11 December 2018), 37 new cases were reported from 10 health zones in North Kivu and Ituri provinces: Katwa and Butembo (18), Beni (seven), Mabalako (four), Oicha (three), as well as one case each in Komanda, Kyondo, Mandima, Musienene and Vuhovi. Four new infections of health workers have been reported in Musienene, Katwa and Butembo health zones. In total, 51 (49 confirmed and two probable) health workers have been infected to date, of whom 17 have died. Twenty-three additional survivors were discharged from Ebola treatment centres (ETCs) and reintegrated into their communities. A total of 177 patients have recovered to date.

As of 11 December, 505 EVD cases (457 confirmed and 48 probable), including 296 deaths, have been reported in 12 health zones in North Kivu Province and three health zones in Ituri Province (Figure 1). These zones represent a mix of densely populated urban areas and remote villages, each bringing a variety of factors driving transmission and posing different challenges. Trends in case incidence (Figure 2) reflect the continuation of the outbreak across these geographically dispersed areas, with an average of 33 new cases reported each week since mid-October. Although there has been a general decrease in the intensity of transmission in Beni in recent weeks, the outbreak is intensifying in Butembo and Katwa, and new clusters are emerging elsewhere. At present, the situation remains concerning.

The very high risk of further geographical spread of the outbreak was highlighted this week by the movement of several contacts of confirmed cases from Beni to Kisangani and Goma. All of these contacts were rapidly traced, and have since returned to Beni where they will complete their 21 day follow-up. Several alerts of potential cases were also received from Goma, and towns between Goma and Butembo. These individuals were promptly isolated, reported and tested negative for EVD. Preparedness and operational readiness activities in other areas of North Kivu and Ituri provinces, other provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and neighbouring counties, must continue to be upscaled to rapidly detect and respond to any potential cases.

WHO risk assessment

This outbreak of EVD is affecting north-eastern provinces of the country bordering Uganda, Rwanda and South Sudan. Potential risk factors for transmission of EVD at the national and regional levels include: travel between the affected areas, the rest of the country, and neighbouring countries; the internal displacement of populations. The country is concurrently experiencing other epidemics (e.g. cholera, vaccine-derived poliomyelitis, malaria), and a long-term humanitarian crisis. Additionally, the security situation in North Kivu and Ituri at times limits the implementation of response activities. WHO’s risk assessment for the outbreak is currently very high at the national and regional levels; the global risk level remains low. WHO continues to advice against any restriction of travel to, and trade with, the Democratic Republic of the Congo based on currently available information.

As the risk of national and regional spread is very high, it is important for neighbouring provinces and countries to enhance surveillance and preparedness activities. The International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) Emergency Committee has advised that failing to intensify these preparedness and surveillance activities would lead to worsening conditions and further spread. WHO will continue to work with neighbouring countries and partners to ensure that health authorities are alerted and are operationally prepared to respond.

WHO advice

International traffic: WHO advises against any restriction of travel and trade to the Democratic Republic of the Congo based on the currently available information. There is currently no licensed vaccine to protect people from the Ebola virus. Therefore, any requirements for certificates of Ebola vaccination are not a reasonable basis for restricting movement across borders or the issuance of visas for passengers leaving the Democratic Republic of the Congo. WHO continues to closely monitor and, if necessary, verify travel and trade measures in relation to this event. Currently, no country has implemented travel measures that significantly interfere with international traffic to and from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Travellers should seek medical advice before travel and should practice good hygiene.

RDC: Lamuka – Communique (13.12.2018)

RDC: Point de Presse du President de la CENI (13.12.2018)

RDC: FCC – Communique de Press – Du Front Commun pour le Congo (13.12.2018)

RDC: CENI – Communique de Presse (13.12.2018)

RDC: Lamuka – Point de Presse (11.12.2018)

DRC: In Lubumbashi there was fatal aggression against the Fayulu/Lamuka Convoy!

Today is a sad day, as the peaceful election is now squashed, maybe the pictures of the rallies around the Democratic Republic of Congo has hit the desk of Joseph Kabila and his sidekick the Emmanuel Shadari who is running against Martin Fayulu and Félix Antoine Tshisekedi. However, the rallies of the two last gentlemen clearly sparked fear in the powerful men and their armies. As they had to retaliate, not with a vision or prospects of a better future. They decided to order violence and intimidate the opposition, as they know best.

Today in Lubumbashi, as the people was gathering in and around the convoy of Lamuka, the Political Alliance of Fayulu. The Police and Presidential Guards decided to tear-gas the public, use live bullets and assault the ones gathering to welcome Fayulu. That is what they did today.

What is happening right now in #lubumbashi is intolerable! Gassing activists of #lamuka, arbitrary arrests, dispersal of the crowd coming in mass welcoming Martin Fayulu. A real election, it goes first through a real campaign, free and democratic!” (Moise Katumbi, 11.12.2018).

The current reports of loss of lives because of the state sanctioned violence against the public, is up to 6 people died, 11 severely hurt police officers and scores of the public in same condition, as the numbers of how many hurt by the guns and tear-gas is unknown.

What is also known already, is that the Presidential Guard did directly attack the cars and the convoy of Fayulu, he was singled out and targeted by the Security Forces. They we’re attacking him directly and planned to do so, when he entered Lubumbashi. That video evidence of it is striking and shows it. They are proving their real character and plans of total destruction of the opposition ahead of the polls later in the month.

Some is claiming this was trying to assassinate Fayulu, but they clearly targeted him and his motorcade/convoy of people going to the rally scheduled in the city. What is proven today, was that the crowds was starting to gather around the convoy/motorcade, but than the authorities came in with the guns blazing. Showing their ill-intention as they came with precision shooting it all down.

If Kabila and Shadari wanted to signal to the world, their intentions, they clearly did it today. They are violently planning to control the situation. They are planning to steal the whole thing and take it. They are not leaving without the bullets and assault on democratic values, as they are spreading fear. There was no issues on the roads and by the motorcade/convoy, before the Presidential Guards, the Police Officers and all other Security Forces showed up.

That is the proof of today, which has been peaceful campaign season, until now. But that dream had to be shattered by the dreams of another hostile takeover. As the political campaigning in the DRC cannot happen without bullets coming to play. Peace.

RDC: Union Democratique Africaine Orginelle (05.12.2018)