What you need to know:
- Uganda previously recorded 20 cases in May and June—mostly imported from the DRC—before being declared free of the virus by the World Health Organization in August. Meanwhile, neighboring Kenya has reported nine cases this month, all linked to a traveler from Congo.
The Ministry of Health has reassured the public that Uganda remains free of Ebola, urging citizens to stay calm and vigilant following reports that a woman diagnosed with the virus in Nigeria had transited through the country.
According to health authorities, the patient is a Nigerian national who had traveled to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo for business. Preliminary findings indicate that she passed through Uganda in early October while exhibiting no symptoms, only developing signs of the illness after arriving in Nigeria.
Reacting to public concern, Prof. Charles Olaro, Uganda’s Director General of Health Services, clarified that transiting through Uganda does not imply that the infection took place within the country. He noted that the exact location where the patient contracted the virus remains under active investigation. Prof. Olaro added that the Nigerian government has yet to provide full details regarding her travel itinerary and clinical history—data that is essential for guiding further investigations and potential contact tracing.
"We wish to clarify that, as at the time of this statement, Uganda has no confirmed active Ebola cases," Prof. Olaro said in an official public statement.
Similarly, Ugandan government spokesperson Alan Kasujja dismissed fears of a localized outbreak, stating firmly that "there's no Ebola in Uganda."
The development follows an announcement by Nigeria's government on Tuesday confirming a case of Ebola in the capital, Abuja, after laboratory tests returned positive results. Speaking to public broadcaster NTA, Nigeria's Health Minister, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, confirmed that the female patient had traveled from East Africa.
"She is in isolation, and she is receiving quality medical care. Contact tracing has been conducted, and it's under way as we speak, with 44 contacts already identified," Prof. Pate said, adding that the patient was initially managed at a private hospital in Abuja for several days before her diagnosis was finalized.
"Nigeria successfully contained Ebola in 2014, and we have the experience and public health systems to respond to this case," Prof. Pate added in a separate statement.
The incident comes against the backdrop of an Ebola outbreak declared in the Democratic Republic of Congo in mid-May, which has since expanded into the world's second-largest outbreak on record, driven by the rare Bundibugyo strain.
Uganda previously recorded 20 cases in May and June—mostly imported from the DRC—before being declared free of the virus by the World Health Organization in August. Meanwhile, neighboring Kenya has reported nine cases this month, all linked to a traveler from Congo.
Commenting on the wider regional threat, Dr. Jean Kaseya, the head of Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), stated on X that the agency has begun mobilizing support for Nigeria. He noted that "this Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak has already become the most geographically extensive in history, affecting countries spread across three regions of Africa."
In response to the evolving threat, the Ministry of Health announced that while limited provisions had been maintained to facilitate diplomatic and humanitarian travel, it is now collaborating with relevant agencies to step up screening and public health controls at all points of entry.
Public health officials are advising citizens to maintain high standards of hygiene, including regular handwashing and sanitizing, and to rely on verified updates provided through official ministry channels. Members of the public requiring information or wishing to report suspected alerts can contact the Ministry of Health toll-free hotline at 0800-100-066, send an alert SMS to 6767, or use U-Report on 8500.