KAMPALA, Uganda — Uganda has introduced a mandatory 21-day quarantine for citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) who have travelled to the country, as authorities strengthen border controls amid the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak.

Uganda’s health ministry announced the measure on Sunday, October 25, saying returning citizens with a history of travel to the DRC would undergo quarantine at their own expense.

The ministry also said it had intensified health screening at Entebbe International Airport, land border crossings and designated road checkpoints to identify travellers who may have been exposed to the virus.

The measures come as health authorities across East and Central Africa work to contain the outbreak and prevent further cross-border transmission.

Uganda Strengthens Health Surveillance

The World Health Organization declared Uganda free of Ebola in August following an outbreak that recorded 20 cases, including two deaths. Most cases were linked to people who had travelled to the DRC.

The latest quarantine requirement reflects concern over the movement of people between countries affected by the outbreak. The DRC, which shares a border with Uganda, has recorded thousands of cases and deaths since declaring its latest Ebola outbreak in May.

Ugandan officials have disputed suggestions that the Nigerian patient may have contracted the virus while visiting Uganda. Government spokesperson Alan Kasujja described that suggestion as “absurd”, pointing out that Uganda had been declared Ebola-free.

However, the source of Nigeria’s infection remains under investigation, and regional health authorities are examining the travel histories of confirmed cases.

Ebola Cases Reported Beyond the DRC

Kenya and Nigeria have also reported cases linked to the wider outbreak. In Nigeria, the first confirmed case involved a Ugandan-born woman who travelled to Abuja after visiting Uganda.

Scientists are investigating whether the Nigerian case could be connected to a patient in Kenya, although a direct transmission link has not been established. Genomic similarities between the viruses have prompted further investigation into possible routes of infection.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, which can spread through direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person who has symptoms. It can cause fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, with severe cases potentially leading to bleeding.

There is currently no approved vaccine or specific treatment for the Bundibugyo strain. Health authorities rely on early detection, isolation, supportive care, contact tracing and infection-prevention measures to limit transmission.

Uganda’s quarantine policy adds another layer to regional efforts to monitor travellers and reduce the risk of further infections.

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