Uganda closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo as authorities step up efforts to prevent the spread of Ebola into the country.

The decision, announced by the National Task Force on Ebola Response, follows what officials described as an escalating outbreak in eastern Congo and growing risks linked to cross-border movement.

The first case in Uganda was confirmed less than two weeks ago in a Congolese patient who crossed the border for treatment and died in intensive care in Kampala on May 14 after developing bleeding symptoms.

Authorities said the body was returned to Congo the same evening, underscoring the risk of transmission through the movement of patients and infected remains. Uganda has since confirmed seven Ebola infections, including health workers exposed while treating infected patients

Under the new measures, only authorized Ebola response teams, humanitarian workers, food and cargo transporters, and security personnel will be allowed to cross the border. All approved entrants will undergo strict health screening, documentation and continuous monitoring at official entry points.

The government also ordered mandatory 21-day self-isolation for anyone returning from Congo, supervised by health and district surveillance teams. Schools in border districts will remain open but must enforce health ministry guidelines, including daily temperature checks for students arriving from Congo, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Authorities directed district officials to strictly enforce Ebola-prevention measures, while media houses must dedicate at least 30 minutes of prime-time programming daily to public-awareness campaigns.

Uganda has previously faced Ebola outbreaks and remains on high alert because of frequent movement of people and goods across its long border with Congo.

The outbreak of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola has probably killed 221 people in Congo since the first cases were reported on May 15 and is already the country’s worst since 2018-20, when almost 2,300 people died in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global public-health emergency, warning that the virus is spreading rapidly in eastern Congo, where insecurity, poor infrastructure and population displacement are hampering containment efforts. Still, the WHO discourages border closures, arguing they may push people to use unofficial crossings.

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