DR Congo's Ituri Airport Reopens Amid Ebola Outbreak

The main airport in Ituri, DR Congo, reopened on Tuesday, following a closure that lasted ten days due to safety concerns related to a significant Ebola outbreak. The outbreak has resulted in the deaths of at least 246 people in the country, with neighboring Uganda also affected, according to the African Union's health agency, Africa CDC.

The closure was initially implemented on May 23 to suspend commercial flights at the Bunia airport, the capital of Ituri, as the region has been plagued by conflict and the highly contagious hemorrhagic fever. Samuel Roger Kamba, the health minister, stated that authorities needed to establish health measures to protect travelers.

The transport ministry authorized the reopening after assessing the outbreak and monitoring conditions, concluding that it was gradually safe to resume flights.