Uganda Strengthens Border Controls to Prevent Spread of Ebola Virus

Uganda has strengthened its border controls to prevent the spread of Ebola virus, a move that comes as the country investigates an outbreak in Nigeria. The Health Ministry announced on Sunday that citizens returning from neighboring Congo will now be required to undergo 21 days of quarantine at their own expense.

The measure is aimed at preventing the spread of the deadly disease, which has claimed thousands of lives in Congo. Uganda itself had previously been affected by Ebola, but declared its outbreak over on July 28. To date, there have been no confirmed cases since then.

In May, Uganda initially introduced border controls to curb the spread of Ebola, restricting non-essential travel and subjecting all travelers, including humanitarian workers and truck drivers, to screening. The new measures announced on Sunday take this a step further by preventing travelers with a history of travel to Congo from transiting through Uganda.

Under the new rules, non-essential Congolese travelers will be turned back at the nearest border crossing and will have to pay for their own transportation, while those entering Uganda illegally face prosecution.

Screening measures have been stepped up at Entebbe International Airport and land borders in Uganda as part of its efforts to contain the spread of Ebola. All travelers arriving in the country are now required to complete a passenger locator form and undergo health screening, which includes diplomats and United Nations personnel.

The Ugandan Health Minister has clarified that investigations into Nigeria's first Ebola patient have not yet established whether she traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The woman, who holds two passports including one from Uganda, has relatives in both countries and her travel history remains unclear.

Uganda's investigators are working closely with Nigerian authorities and international partners to review genomic findings and verify the woman's movements and interactions within Uganda and en route to Abuja. This collaborative effort aims to shed light on how she contracted Ebola while traveling to Nigeria.

Nigeria's Health Minister has suggested that the woman's infection may be linked to Kenya's first case, although this does not necessarily confirm the transmission route. Further findings are expected to be released as part of ongoing investigations into the outbreak.

The Uganda government has strengthened its border controls to prevent further spread of Ebola, following recent outbreaks in neighboring countries.

Uganda's strict measures include requiring returnees from the Democratic Republic of Congo to pay for their own quarantine, a move aimed at discouraging travelers who may be infected with the virus.

It was previously reported that both patients who contracted Ebola in Uganda had passed through Entebbe airport on October 3. The source of the infection remains unknown.

The Ugandan authorities have also released all 60 contacts of Kenya's first patient from follow-up, after they completed a 21-day monitoring period without displaying any symptoms.