War in Congo Raises Infectious-Disease Risk for Millions
- Displaced people increase spread of mpox, measles and cholera
- Medical services are overwhelmed as food and water run low
This article is for subscribers only.
Fighting between Rwanda-backed rebels and the Congolese army has placed millions of people at high risk of death from the spread of disease, Africa’s chief health advisory body said.
The war — concentrated in Congo’s eastern city of Goma where 3 million people live — exponentially raises the risk of illnesses such as mpox, measles and cholera, according to the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s also host to almost 1 million displaced citizens, the CDC said.