Uganda has announced a 21-day quarantine requirement for citizens returning from the DRC.
Returning Ugandans must cover quarantine costs as officials investigate infections involving travellers who passed through Uganda.
Uganda has ordered mandatory 21-day Ebola quarantine for citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced the directive on Sunday, October 26, saying travellers must cover their own costs.
The measure comes as authorities investigate infections involving travellers who passed through Uganda before reaching Kenya and Nigeria. However, Uganda maintains that it has no active Ebola infections following the end of its previous outbreak in July.
Ebola quarantine and border screening
Baryomunsi outlined the requirement during a news conference in Kampala. Uganda has also stepped up screening at Entebbe International Airport and land border crossings.
Incoming travellers must complete forms with contact details so health teams can follow up when necessary. Together, these measures aim to improve surveillance and reduce the risk of cross-border transmission.
Meanwhile, the DRC remains at the centre of an outbreak that began in May and spread across eight provinces. The World Health Organization (WHO) recorded 9,704 cases and 4,687 deaths there by October 20.
Investigators examine travel and possible exposure
Nigeria confirmed Ebola in a Ugandan-born woman on October 20 after she travelled to Abuja. Swiss authorities said the woman, who is married to a Swiss diplomat, contracted the virus while visiting Uganda in September.
However, Baryomunsi questioned that conclusion and urged investigators to examine every possible exposure route. He said relatives who had previously visited the DRC met her in a Kampala suburb.
In its October 23 update, the WHO said available information did not indicate that she had visited the DRC herself. Nigerian and Ugandan authorities continue to investigate her movements and possible exposure.
Investigators are also examining a Kenyan man’s journey from the DRC through Uganda. He flew to Nairobi on October 3 and died two days later. Kenya subsequently reported a second Ebola death.
Both travellers passed through Entebbe airport on the same day, raising questions about possible contact. However, Ugandan officials said security footage showed no physical interaction between them.
Nigerian authorities said genetic testing found closely related viruses in the two cases. Even so, investigators have not established a direct link.
Contact monitoring and regional cooperation
Uganda said 60 people traced after possible contact with the Kenyan patient completed 21 days of monitoring. The country declared its Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak over on July 28, after 20 infections and two deaths.
Ebola spreads through direct contact with infected people’s bodily fluids. Symptoms can take up to 21 days to appear, according to the WHO.
The agency has called for stronger surveillance and cross-border cooperation to detect and manage possible cases. However, it advised against travel or trade restrictions on affected countries.
