DR Congo have come under increasing pressure leading up to their first World Cup since 1974 on account of the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in the country.
The White House of the United States of America has ordered DRC will have to isolate for at least 21 days before they can fly into Houston for their opening World Cup match.
White House official Andrew Giuliani issued a clear statement to ESPN.
“We have been very clear with Congo: they must maintain the integrity of their bubble for 21 days before they are allowed to come to Houston on June 11,” he warned.
“If other people join the squad, they must have a separate bubble from that of the team.
“If one of those people develops symptoms, the entire team risks not being able to participate in this World Cup.”
In Congo, the national level of epidemic risk is now “very high”. There are 82 confirmed cases and seven deaths.
According to the UN, the virus is spreading rapidly. There is no vaccine yet for this version of the Ebola virus. In recent years, the virus has claimed more than 15,000 lives in Africa.
