Uganda mandates 21-day quarantine for arrivals from Ebola-hit DR Congo
Uganda has introduced a mandatory 21-day quarantine for all returning travelers from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which is experiencing its worst Ebola outbreak. This measure aims to prevent further spread after Uganda was declared Ebola-free in August following 20 cases linked to DRC travel. The DRC outbreak has caused over 4,600 deaths since May, with no vaccine available for the current Bundibugyo strain. Neighboring Kenya and Nigeria have also reported Ebola cases recently.
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Uganda’s health ministry announced on Sunday that all Ugandans returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) must undergo a 21-day quarantine at their own expense. This decision follows the severe Ebola outbreak in the DRC, which has recorded more than 4,600 deaths since May.
The DRC shares a border with Uganda, and the current outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, for which no vaccine or specific treatment exists. Uganda was declared Ebola-free in August after confirming 20 cases, including two deaths, mostly among people who had traveled to the DRC.
To prevent further transmission, Uganda has intensified traveler screening at Entebbe International Airport, all land border crossings, and designated road checkpoints. Meanwhile, Kenya and Nigeria have reported their first Ebola cases in October, with Nigeria’s first case involving a woman who flew from Uganda to Abuja.
A Ugandan government spokesperson dismissed suggestions that the Nigerian case originated in Uganda, emphasizing that Uganda currently has no active Ebola cases.