A newly married couple in Congo celebrates their wedding amid an Ebola outbreak, with limited guests adhering to social distancing measures. The couple faces challenges in celebrating their wedding with friends and family due to the outbreak.
Next photo A newly married couple walks down the aisle at their wedding amid an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province in Bunia, Congo, Saturday, June 6, 2026.
A bride puts a ring on the groom's finger during a wedding ceremony amid an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province in Bunia, Congo, Saturday, June 6, 2026. A newly married couple walks down the aisle at their wedding as guests shower them with confetti amid an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province in Bunia, Congo, Saturday, June 6, 2026.
Altar boys arrive at a chapel during a wedding ceremony amid an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province in Bunia, Congo, Saturday, June 6, 2026. Wedding guests cheer at a wedding ceremony amid an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province in Bunia, Congo, Saturday, June 6, 2026. 2026. A newly married couple walks down the aisle at their wedding amid an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province in Bunia, Congo, Saturday, June 6, 2026.
For Jean Claude Érable and his bride Solange Hahati, celebrating their wedding on Saturday in such conditions meant having some family members and friends absent on one of their happiest days.
“We had planned 300 guests only 50 people were allowed to enter,” Hahati told The Associated Press. “It was really difficult because we wanted to celebrate with our friends. ”, caused by the rare Bundibugyo virus, is concentrated in Congo’s eastern province of Ituri. There are 515 confirmed infections, including 91 deaths, according to Congolese health authorities.
The number of cases is believed to be higher because the outbreak was confirmed weeks late, and response has been challenging also because the virus has no approved vaccine or treatment. To help slow the spread, local officials have urged people to limit physical contact, wash their hands regularly and report suspected cases quickly.
At the Catholic Church in Bunia, the capital of Ituri, where Érable and Hahati celebrated their love story, the Mass featured a number of couples who were present for their weddings. The precautions, though not always adhered to, are reshaping social life in a country where weddings are typically vibrant, daylong celebrations bringing together hundreds of relatives, friends and well-wishers.
As the choir chorused and as brides in white gowns walked down the aisle, the handful of relatives and friends present inside the church maintained social distance, cheered and snapped photos. Outside, a crowd sang excitedly.
“We are adhering to the preventive measures and respecting social distancing,” said Érable, the groom. “I must say that there is no problem, no obstacle, because we are doing our best to respect all the measures dictated by the state. ” His bride smiled as he slipped a wedding ring onto her finger. Outside, after the wedding Mass, she gleefully displayed the ring as her husband walked her to the car.
Church leaders say adapting has become essential. Some families have already postponed their scheduled weddings in light of the new health measures, said the Rev. Aimé Lokanabego, the priest who officiated their wedding Mass. The church is not holding other religious events that involve higher risks of exposure, such as baptism, he said.
“This is, in a way, how we are dealing with this Ebola epidemic at our level. The situation is critical,” said Lokanabego. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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