Coronavirus has swiftly gained status as the world's No. 1 threat but in eastern DR Congo, one of Africa's most volatile regions, militia killings and ethnic violence are an older and -- for now -- far greater source of dread.

In the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, "civilians are being massacred," he said.

"In South Kivu, Rwandan and Burundian armies are battling armed groups in the high plateaus of Minembwe, destroying everything in their wake," Mukwege said.

Since November, more than 400 civilians have been butchered in North Kivu province by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a mainly Muslim militia.

North Kivu and Ituri are also hosting an epidemic of Ebola, which has killed 2,279 people since August 2018.