The Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has become the second-largest on record, with confirmed cases surpassing 4,000 and more than 1,800 deaths. Health authorities and the WHO are racing to contain the virus as infections continue to spread across multiple provinces. The Africa CDC has launched emergency vaccination efforts while researchers accelerate work on treatments for the Bundibugyo strain, which currently has no approved vaccine. Here's everything you need to know about the worsening health crisis in DR Congo.

DR Congo Ebola Outbreak Worsens |Cases Cross 4,000, Death Toll Tops 1,800 |WHO Issues Urgent Warning

At a France-backed workshop in the DR Congo capital Kinshasa, a dozen designers from five central African countries showcase their vision after six months of free training in developing their own style and the skills needed to sell their collections. 


New Generation of Designers Learn the Art of Style at Kinshasa 'Fashion Lab'

The Kinshasa Fashion Lab, a France-supported initiative at the Regional Fashion Institute in Africa (IRMA), hosted its first showcase where 12 designers from five Central African countries presented collections after six months of free training in sewing, design, and entrepreneurship.


Kinshasa Fashion Lab Unveils Central African Talent

At least 120 people were killed Tuesday as the worst floods in years battered DR Congo's capital Kinshasa following an all-night downpour. Major roads in the centre of Kinshasa, a city of some 15 million people, were submerged for hours, and a key supply route was cut off.

At least 120 killed as DR Congo's capital battered by worst floods in years

African leaders have declared a ceasefire in eastern DRC starting from Friday. Declaration was issued by the leaders of Congo, Rwanda and several others.

African leaders agree on ‘immediate ceasefire’ in violence-torn eastern DRC

Residents of the city of Kinshasa witnessed the worst of climate change. Heavy rainfall and unexpected flooding resulted in about 40 people losing their lives.

Reliving horrors of the past: Kinshasa residents fear an all-encompassing erosion

Residents of Kinshasa face climate change crisis

In November 2019, torrential rains had caused flooding and landslides and killed about forty people in Kinshasa and the commune of Mont-Ngafula had been one of the most affected. Two years later, its inhabitants fear the worst with the return of the rains.

Kinshasa relives horrors of past after return of rain

It has been a week since Kinshasa, the capital of the democratic republic of Congo was hit by floods, the city continues to reel under the disaster's aftermath.

Floods trigger landslide in Kinshasa, exposes fallouts of rapid urbanisation

According to the World Health Organization(WHO), the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo&nbsp;Kinshasa has witnessed a large number of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-countries-that-are-vaccinating-children-against-deadly-virus-389192"> COVID-19 </a>cases in the past month.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-africa-president-ramaphosa-tightens-curbs-as-covid-19-cases-surge-388554/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The WHO said Kinshasa had recorded an "exponential rise" in coronavirus cases.&nbsp;

The vaccination drive in the capital&nbsp;has reportedly not taken off even as the government last month announced it had detected the Delta variant. President Felix Tshisekedi warned citizens to be alert to the fast-changing situation.

Health experts said the third wave has started in the country with the Delta and Beta variants having arrived in the country.

The vice-president of the country's&nbsp;National Assembly had earlier informed that thirty-two members of parliament had died due to the virus.

The country has reported 31,248 confirmed cases and 780 deaths so far with Kinshasa recording over 22,300 cases.

On Thursday, the capital city recorded 243 coronavirus cases sparking fear among health officials who have until now have been able to keep the virus under control.

According to the government, just over 19,000 people have been vaccinated in the country with a population of 80 million. Several people have expressed concern over the AstraZeneca vaccine after blood clot reports emerged.&nbsp;

WHO said there was a "clear deterioration" in virus cases in the country in its report.

(With inputs from Agencies) 
&nbsp;

According to the World Health Organization(WHO), the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo Kinshasa has witnessed a large number of COVID-19 cases in the past month.

According to the World Health Organization(WHO), the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo Kinshasa has witnessed a large number of COVID-19 cases in the past month. Watch: The WHO said Kinshasa had recorded an "exponential rise" in coronavirus cases. The vaccination drive in the capital has reportedly not taken off even as the government last month announced it had detected the Delta variant. President Felix Tshisekedi warned citizens to be alert to the fast-changing situation. Health experts said the third wave has started in the country with the Delta and Beta variants having arrived in the country. The vice-president of the country's National Assembly had earlier informed that thirty-two members of parliament had died due to the virus. The country has reported 31,248 confirmed cases and 780 deaths so far with Kinshasa recording over 22,300 cases. On Thursday, the capital city recorded 243 coronavirus cases sparking fear among health officials who have until now have been able to keep the virus under control. According to the government, just over 19,000 people have been vaccinated in the country with a population of 80 million. Several people have expressed concern over the AstraZeneca vaccine after blood clot reports emerged. WHO said there was a "clear deterioration" in virus cases in the country in its report. (With inputs from Agencies)

'Clear deterioration' in virus cases in DR Congo's capital Kinshasa, warns WHO

Congolese police and soldiers on Sunday set up checkpoints across the capital Kinshasa and fired teargas at opposition supporters who had gathered outside churches to protest against President Joseph Kabila.

Authorities ordered internet and SMS services to be cut following calls by Catholic activists for protest marches after Sunday mass.

The activists are demanding that Kabila commit to not changing the constitution to stand for a third term and to release political prisoners.

The police have banned demonstrations and said that all gatherings of more than five people will be dispersed.

Across Kinshasa, police and soldiers searched vehicles and checked passengers&#39; identifications.

Some 40 percent of Congo&#39;s population is Roman Catholic and the Church enjoys rare credibility with the public, even though its leadership has not formally backed the protests.

At the Notre Dame du Congo cathedral in Kinshasa&#39;s Lingwala district, where opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was attending mass, dozens of police and soldiers blocked the path of more than 100 opposition supporters as they prepared to try to march.

Tshisekedi, however, who had backed the activists&#39; call to march, left the church in a vehicle, spurring angry shouts from the crowd, which said he was abandoning them.

At the Paroisse Saint Michel in Bandalungwa district, security forces fired teargas into the church, creating panic, opposition leader Vital Kamerhe, who was present at the mass, told Reuters.

&quot;All of the neighbouring community came out (to protest) and I think that this shows the will of the people and marks the beginning of the end of the dictatorship,&quot; Kamerhe said.

At another church in the working class district of Barumbu, a few dozen police officers used teargas and stun grenades against some 300 churchgoers, who waved bibles and sang religious songs as they tried to march, a Reuters witness said.

A police spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.

Opposition appeals for protests this year have been easily suppressed by security forces but the Catholic activists&#39; appeal has managed to unite nearly all of Congo&#39;s fractious opposition.

Kabila&#39;s ruling coalition and opposition leaders struck a deal last Dec. 31 that allowed Kabila to stay in power beyond the end of his second and final term but required that the election to replace him be held by the end of 2017.

The country&#39;s electoral commission, however, later said that was not possible and scheduled the vote for Dec. 23, 2018.

Congolese police and soldiers on Sunday set up checkpoints across the capital Kinshasa and fired tear gas at opposition supporters who had gathered outside churches to protest against President Joseph Kabila

Congolese police and soldiers on Sunday set up checkpoints across the capital Kinshasa and fired teargas at opposition supporters who had gathered outside churches to protest against President Joseph Kabila. Authorities ordered internet and SMS services to be cut following calls by Catholic activists for protest marches after Sunday mass. The activists are demanding that Kabila commit to not changing the constitution to stand for a third term and to release political prisoners. The police have banned demonstrations and said that all gatherings of more than five people will be dispersed. Across Kinshasa, police and soldiers searched vehicles and checked passengers' identifications. Some 40 percent of Congo's population is Roman Catholic and the Church enjoys rare credibility with the public, even though its leadership has not formally backed the protests. At the Notre Dame du Congo cathedral in Kinshasa's Lingwala district, where opposition leader Felix Tshisekedi was attending mass, dozens of police and soldiers blocked the path of more than 100 opposition supporters as they prepared to try to march. Tshisekedi, however, who had backed the activists' call to march, left the church in a vehicle, spurring angry shouts from the crowd, which said he was abandoning them. At the Paroisse Saint Michel in Bandalungwa district, security forces fired teargas into the church, creating panic, opposition leader Vital Kamerhe, who was present at the mass, told Reuters. "All of the neighbouring community came out (to protest) and I think that this shows the will of the people and marks the beginning of the end of the dictatorship," Kamerhe said. At another church in the working class district of Barumbu, a few dozen police officers used teargas and stun grenades against some 300 churchgoers, who waved bibles and sang religious songs as they tried to march, a Reuters witness said. A police spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment. Opposition appeals for protests this year have been easily suppressed by security forces but the Catholic activists' appeal has managed to unite nearly all of Congo's fractious opposition. Kabila's ruling coalition and opposition leaders struck a deal last Dec. 31 that allowed Kabila to stay in power beyond the end of his second and final term but required that the election to replace him be held by the end of 2017. The country's electoral commission, however, later said that was not possible and scheduled the vote for Dec. 23, 2018.

Teargas, checkpoints as Congo tries to stop anti-government demonstrations

At least 11 people were killed and 930 prisoners escaped on Sunday when unidentified assailants stormed a jail in Democratic Republic of Congo&#39;s northeastern town of Beni, the provincial governor said.

The attack is at least the fourth prison break in Congo in the last month and underscores how insecurity has grown since President Joseph Kabila refused to step down at the end of his mandate last December.&nbsp;

North Kivu province&#39;s governor, Julien Paluku, said in a statement that the assailants had used heavy weapons, killing eight prison guards.

&quot;Only the army and the police have the right to circulate to bring under control the enemy, who started to flee at 3:30 p.m. (1330 GMT),&quot; Paluku said. About 30 prisoners remain inside the facility and a curfew is now in place in Beni and surrounding areas, he added.

Teddy Kataliko, a local activist, said it was not yet clear who had carried out the attack because many self-defence militias, known as Mai-Mai groups, operate around Beni.&nbsp;

About 4,000 inmates escaped the capital Kinshasa&#39;s main high-security prison last month after an attack blamed on a separatist sect, and at least three more escaped from another jail in Kinshasa on Saturday, the police said.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

This is the fourth prison break in Congo in the last one month

At least 11 people were killed and 930 prisoners escaped on Sunday when unidentified assailants stormed a jail in Democratic Republic of Congo's northeastern town of Beni, the provincial governor said. The attack is at least the fourth prison break in Congo in the last month and underscores how insecurity has grown since President Joseph Kabila refused to step down at the end of his mandate last December. North Kivu province's governor, Julien Paluku, said in a statement that the assailants had used heavy weapons, killing eight prison guards. "Only the army and the police have the right to circulate to bring under control the enemy, who started to flee at 3:30 p.m. (1330 GMT)," Paluku said. About 30 prisoners remain inside the facility and a curfew is now in place in Beni and surrounding areas, he added. Teddy Kataliko, a local activist, said it was not yet clear who had carried out the attack because many self-defence militias, known as Mai-Mai groups, operate around Beni. About 4,000 inmates escaped the capital Kinshasa's main high-security prison last month after an attack blamed on a separatist sect, and at least three more escaped from another jail in Kinshasa on Saturday, the police said.

11 dead, over 900 escape in Congo jail attack

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