How Virunga Park protects people and gorillas from Ebola in eastern DRC
Summary
Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo is taking health measures to protect local people and endangered mountain gorillas from the Ebola outbreak in the region. The park has set up checkpoints with health screenings to help stop the virus from spreading and supports national health efforts.Key Facts
- Virunga National Park is Africa’s oldest national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- The park covers a 300km stretch in eastern DRC, an area affected by Ebola since 2018.
- Ebola has caused more than 1,400 deaths in the current outbreak, mainly in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
- The park has established six health checkpoints to monitor road travel through the area.
- At checkpoints, staff conduct handwashing, temperature checks, and have isolation centers for suspected Ebola cases.
- The park deployed 40 paramedics and 80 rangers in a six-month emergency response program.
- Virunga previously helped contain the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak that killed nearly 2,300 people.
- Rangers report health data immediately to the Congolese National Institute of Public Health for follow-up.
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