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Uganda has denied having any confirmed active Ebola cases after Nigeria reported an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease involving a woman who travelled through Uganda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Nigeria confirmed the case on Tuesday, with the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, stating that the woman arrived in Nigeria from Uganda.
The patient was isolated and treated with 44 contacts monitored as NCDC activated its incident management system.
However, Uganda’s Ministry of Health said the woman only transited through the country in early October without symptoms. The ministry said the woman only developed symptoms after arriving in Nigeria.
“Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here,” the ministry said, stressing that “as at the time of this statement, Uganda has NO confirmed active Ebola cases.”
Uganda said Nigeria had yet to provide detailed information on the woman’s itinerary and clinical history to assist further investigations and contact tracing.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is supporting Nigerian health authorities with case investigation, contact tracing, infection prevention and control, and essential supplies, including personal protective equipment.
WHO urged countries across the region to maintain heightened surveillance and readiness as the Ebola outbreak in the DRC continues to evolve, noting that Kenya has also reported nine cases linked to an imported infection.
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