Uganda imposes mandatory 21-day DRC quarantine as regional Ebola threat expands

Ugandans returning home with a recent history of travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will now face a mandatory 21-day quarantine, Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi announced on Sunday. 

The strict measure comes as Uganda intensifies its border precautions to safeguard against a widening regional Ebola threat, despite maintaining that the country remains entirely free of the virus.

The new directive follows an announcement that all 60 local contacts linked to a Kenyan Ebola case have completed their 21-day monitoring period without developing symptoms and have been officially discharged. Health authorities traced these individuals across key points of entry and exit, hotels, and public transport networks tied to cross-border transit through Uganda.

Speaking to the press in Kampala on Sunday, October 25, 2026, Dr Baryomunsi sought to reassure the public while stressing the need for heightenened vigilance.

"Uganda remains Ebola-free, with no confirmed cases recorded since the country declared the Bundibugyo virus disease outbreak over on July 28, 2026," Dr Baryomunsi said. "The ministry has intensified traveller screening at Entebbe International Airport and all land border crossings. All travellers intending to enter Uganda by air, land, or water must complete the passenger locator form."

Dr Baryomunsi added that surveillance in high-risk zones like Kasese remains robust, confirming that the border district has recorded no Ebola cases or deaths. To help tackle the disease at its source, Uganda has expanded cross-border medical support into eastern Congo, establishing three treatment units in the DRC with a combined capacity of 240 beds.
"Vigilance remains critical as transmission continues in the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo," Dr Baryomunsi said, calling for continued public cooperation and stronger regional collaboration to contain the virus at its source.

The regional outbreak, which originated in the DRC, has reached unprecedented proportions, spreading to four nations across eastern, central, and western Africa—marking the widest geographic distribution of any Ebola outbreak on record. 
In Congo, the virus has infected nearly 10,000 people and claimed over 4,600 lives. The specific strain driving the current outbreak has no approved treatment or vaccine, though health officials note that only individuals exhibiting symptoms can transmit the virus.

In neighboring Kenya, health officials confirmed a second fatal case late Friday after a 65-year-old woman succumbed to the virus in quarantine. She was a close relative of Kenya’s index patient, a traveler from Congo who died in a Nairobi hospital on October 5. Kenyan authorities have traced 135 contacts, with nine total cases confirmed and seven patients currently receiving isolation care. The expanding situation led the U.S. State Department to raise its travel advisory for Kenya, urging Americans to reconsider travel to the country.

Meanwhile, Ugandan health authorities are collaborating with Nigerian officials and international partners to investigate a confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria. Genomic sequencing revealed that the Nigerian patient—a woman who had recently traveled from Uganda—was infected with a viral strain closely related to Kenya's index case. However, Nigerian authorities noted there is currently no evidence that the Kenyan case traveled to Nigeria or had direct contact with the patient.

Ugandan health officials urge the public to report any suspected symptoms, including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or unexplained bleeding. Members of the public can reach the Ministry of Health via its toll-free hotline at 0800-100-066, send an alert SMS to 6767, or utilize the U-Report system on 8500.