Match Cancellation and Rationale
The international football friendly between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chile, scheduled for June 9 in La Linea, Spain, has been cancelled. The decision, made by local authorities, was based on health recommendations linked to an ongoing Ebola outbreak in DR Congo.
Mayor Juan Franco signed a decree cancelling the match, citing recommendations from the Andalusian regional health service and the municipality's medical department. The cancellation was described as a precautionary measure related to an outbreak of the Bundibugyo species of Ebola in eastern DR Congo.
Ebola Outbreak Status
The World Health Organization (WHO) raised the public health risk from the Ebola outbreak in DR Congo from "high" to "very high" on a recent Friday. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the risk in the wider African region is "high" but remains "low" globally. No vaccine currently exists for the Bundibugyo species; the WHO estimates up to nine months for a vaccine to be developed.
US Entry Restrictions
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has banned entry for non-Americans who have been in DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan within the previous 21 days. This restriction does not apply to DR Congo national team players, who are all based outside the country and have not recently visited the affected region. A representative noted that symptomatic individuals entering the team's camp could jeopardize the entire squad's ability to compete in the World Cup.
Team's Schedule and Status
DR Congo remains scheduled to play a friendly against Denmark on June 3 in Belgium. The team is set to base themselves in Houston, Texas, for the World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19. DR Congo's opening match is against Portugal on June 17.