Ebola-hit DR Congo suspends public gatherings ban so everyone can watch England game

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has made the controversial decision to suspend its ban on mass public gatherings to allow its people to watch the country’s World Cup match against England, despite it being in the grips of an Ebola outbreak. Jacquemain Shabani, the interior minister, announced an indefinite ban on rallies, marches and other mass gatherings in four provinces identified as high-risk zones for Ebola, as the country battles an outbreak of the deadly haemorrhagic fever.

However, the DRC Government has revealed that bars and restaurants showing the England match would remain open, as would a fan zone with big screens. The government said it would try to remind people of the dangers of the virus spreading, including urging spectators to wash their hands, amid widespread jubilation at the team’s success. The country’s football team, nicknamed the Leopards, progressed past the first group stage for the first time in its history and will take on England in Atlanta on Wednesday (July 1), kicking off at 5pm.

The team’s progress in the major tournament has already been marked by jubilation in the central African country, which is home to around 116 million, with large crowds and fireworks celebrating Sunday’s 3-1 win against Uzbekistan.

International health authorities declared an outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain on May 15 and since then have recorded 377 deaths from 1,307 confirmed cases.

Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, DRC’s information minister, said the order still stood, but told The Telegraph that fans will still be able to cheer on the country’s greatest World Cup moment. However, he acknowledged that if the Leopards did beat England, it would probably be impossible to prevent large celebrations.

“No one knows the way people are going to react if we win. In that case, even me, I would be celebrating.”

Mass gatherings have been banned at the epicentre of the outbreak in Ituri province and in the neighbouring provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu. The latest measures cover Kinshasa, which has a population of around 22 million, as well as Tshopo, Bas-Uele and Haut-Uele provinces.

Despite the Ebola risk, the country’s opposition has claimed that the ban is a politically motivated ploy to prevent a planned rally against proposed constitutional changes, which could allow Felix Tshisekedi, the president, to seek a third term in office.

In a separate announcement, the mayor of the rebel-controlled eastern city of Goma also banned public gatherings and demonstrations, including celebrations linked to sporting events, just a day after crowds gathered to celebrate the DRC’s qualification for the knockout round.

DRC’s World Cup campaign has so far been overshadowed by the Ebola outbreak, the country’s 17th since the virus was first discovered in 1976. Precautions have severely disrupted team preparations and upended many fans’ travel plans. The squad was forced to cancel its planned stay at a training camp in Kinshasa and instead use a base in Belgium. American authorities then insisted that they serve a 21-day quarantine period before setting foot on US soil.

Health authorities have warned it may take up to a year to stamp out the Ebola outbreak. The virus has already spread to Uganda, and there is a strong chance it will reach South Sudan. A lack of testing kits to detect the Bundibugyo strain means the virus may have been spreading for weeks before the outbreak was finally detected.