Uganda has officially closed its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) as authorities intensify efforts to contain the spread of Ebola, following a sharp increase in suspected infections linked to the outbreak in eastern Congo. The measure was announced by Uganda’s National Task Force on Ebola Response, which cited growing concerns over cross-border transmission between the two neighboring countries, which share extensive border communities and trade routes across East and Central Africa.
The border closure comes less than two weeks after Uganda recorded its first Ebola case involving a Congolese patient who crossed into the country seeking medical treatment. The patient later died in intensive care in Kampala on May 14 after developing bleeding-related symptoms associated with the virus. Under the new restrictions, only authorized Ebola response personnel, humanitarian workers, cargo and food transport operators, and security officials will be permitted to cross between the two countries. All approved travelers will undergo strict health screenings, documentation procedures, and continuous monitoring at designated border entry points.
According to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), as of May 25, the DRC had confirmed 101 Ebola cases and 10 deaths, though the actual scale of the outbreak is believed to be significantly larger. He noted that more than 900 suspected infections and 220 suspected deaths had already been reported in the DRC, pushing the broader number of reported and suspected cases close to 1,000. Tedros also disclosed that Uganda recently confirmed two additional Ebola infections among healthcare workers, bringing the country’s total confirmed cases to seven, including one death.
The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a relatively rare variant first identified in Uganda in 2007. The WHO earlier declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, citing the growing regional risk posed by cross-border movement and weak healthcare systems in affected areas. African governments and international partners have secured nearly $500 million in pledges and commitments to strengthen Ebola response efforts across affected and high-risk countries in Central and East Africa. The emergency funding was announced days after the WHO declared the Ebola outbreak a global public health emergency.
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