Uganda closes DRC border as deadly Ebola outbreak spreads

Capital FM Kenya

Dr Diana Atwine, Permanent Secretary at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, announced on Wednesday that Kampala was temporarily closing its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo with immediate effect, after authorities warned of rising exposure among frontline health workers.  "The national task force today, that sat this morning. It was chaired by Her Excellency, the Vice President of Republic of Uganda. It agreed on the following resolutions. Number one, Uganda is temporarily closing the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo with immediate effect," Atwine told reporters.  "The only exceptions are for authorised Ebola response teams. The humanitarian operations. Food and cargo, transportation and security. But all this still will be under strict health screening and monitoring protocols across the border," she continued.  Atwine said anyone cleared to enter Uganda from the DRC by land or air would have to undergo 21 days of mandatory isolation.  She added that the ministry had deployed locator phone systems at border posts and airports to help track incoming travellers and support contact tracing.  Uganda has reported seven Ebola cases and one death in the outbreak, which is centred in eastern DRC’s Ituri province. The first known imported patient in Uganda died in Kampala on May 14, before testing confirmed Bundibugyo virus disease.  The DRC and Uganda declared outbreaks on May 15, after laboratory testing confirmed the rare Bundibugyo strain. WHO later declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.  The strain has raised alarm because there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment for Bundibugyo virus disease. WHO says early supportive care remains critical, while surveillance, isolation, contact tracing and community engagement are central to containment.  WHO has warned against travel bans and border closures, saying they can push people towards informal crossings and make surveillance harder. Ugandan officials said tighter controls were needed because of high cross-border movement and rising exposure among health workers.  Mandatory credit: Uganda Media Centre  Follow us on: WhatsApp cutt.ly/WhatsAppCFM https://twitter.com/capitalfmkenya/ https://www.facebook.com/capitalfmkenya https://www.instagram.com/capitalfmkenya  Subscribe to Capital FM News for More: https://goo.gl/um4AGk  98.4 Capital FM 93.0 Western Kenya 98.5 Nakuru and Nyeri 104.5 Malindi 102.7 Garissa 103.9 Meru 106.5 Kitui 104.9 Voi  #CapitalFmKenya #Ebola

Transcript

00:00The government of Uganda wishes to update the public and stakeholders on the ongoing

00:07outbreak of Ebola virus disease that is caused by Bundibujo strain.

00:17I just wanted to let you know that Uganda has not recorded any new confirmed cases of EVD

00:28since 2025 when we sent out the statement from the Director General.

00:35And however, the total number of contacts to the confirmed cases have increased.

00:42Most of these contacts are health workers because they were getting it from one source.

00:50The total number of cases as for now is still at seven.

00:56And our initial index case that had died.

01:02Following the continued escalation in the scale of Ebola outbreak in DRSC

01:08and the challenges that you all know that are associated with cross-border movements

01:15between DRSC and Uganda, leading to a high risk of the spread of Ebola into Uganda.

01:25The national task force today that was, that sat this morning, it was chaired by

01:35High Excellency, the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda.

01:41It agreed on the following resolutions.

01:45Number one, Uganda is temporarily closing the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo with immediate effect.

01:59The only exceptions are for authorized Ebola response teams, the humanitarian operations,

02:12the food and cargo transportation, and security.

02:17But all this still will be under strict health screening and monitoring protocols across the border.

02:32Number two, immigration authority is directed to permit only authorized Ebola response teams,

02:43humanitarian operations, food and cargo transportation, and the security, even when it comes to air transport.

03:00All authorized entrants, you take note of this, all authorized entrants shall be subjected to strict health screening.

03:15We have a locator form that we are going to, we are using now at the border and also the

03:22entrance,

03:23as you are entering all port health, both at the airport and at the border.

03:31These locator forms will have detailed information and require that every traveler must document the particulars and where they are

03:41going.

03:43And as soon as they come in the country, especially those that are coming from DRC,

03:52we will ask them to isolate, they will isolate themselves for 21 days.

04:06I just want to again repeat this just for purposes of clarity.

04:14I just want to guess what really is that once again repeat this,

04:15this situation is going to be early.

04:15Amen.

04:15Just my first Mull plane train on right now.

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