Rwanda has closed its border crossings with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Rubavu District following a resurgence of the Ebola outbreak.

Rubavu District Mayor Mulindwa Prosper announced on Sunday, May 17, that the borders would remain closed indefinitely as part of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.

“A decision has been made to stop the movement of people crossing the border in order to prevent the spread of this epidemic. That is why we have closed our borders with Congo,” he told reporters at Petite Barrière Border Post.

Mulindwa stated that the affected crossings include Petite Barrière, Grande Barrière, Kabuhanga, and the water route through Rubavu Port.

He added that health officials are screening Rwandans arriving from the DRC and Congolese citizens returning home, as they are still permitted to use the crossings under controlled conditions.

Meanwhile, border posts between Rusizi and Bukavu remain open.

Earlier this weekend, authorities confirmed a new Ebola case in Ituri Province in eastern DRC. On Saturday, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) reported 336 confirmed infections and 87 deaths linked to the outbreak.

Uganda also confirmed its first Ebola case on the same day. The patient later died in a hospital in Kampala, raising the regional death toll to 88. Uganda has since confirmed a second infection.

Health officials said all confirmed cases involved people who had recently traveled to the DRC.

Africa CDC previously reported that the outbreak is concentrated in Ituri Province, particularly in the towns of Mongbwalu and Rwampara, where most infections and deaths have been recorded.

Ebola was first identified in 1976 in what was then Zaire, now the DRC. The disease is believed to have originated from infected animals before spreading to humans. This marks the country’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak.

Cases have also been reported in the city of Goma, near Rwanda’s border city of Rubavu, increasing concerns about cross-border transmission.