3 new Ebola cases confirmed in Uganda

3 new Ebola cases confirmed in Uganda

The East African country's health ministry said it is strengthening outbreak control measures to protect public health and safety.

A poster displaying Ebola emergency contact numbers is pinned to a tent at the Busunga border crossing between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Bundibugyo, on May 18, 2026. Ugandan officials confirmed that a 59-year-old man from Democratic Republic of Congo had died in Kampala after being admitted earlier in the week. Tests showed the victim in Uganda was infected with the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, first identified in 2007. The World Health Organization declared an international health emergency on May 17, 2026 over an outbreak of an Ebola strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo that has killed more than 80 and for which there is no vaccine. Fears of further spread grew when a laboratory confirmed a case in the major eastern DRC city of Goma, which is controlled by the Rwanda-backed M23 militia.
The news came a day after the World Health Organization said the risk from the outbreak had been raised to the highest level for the DRC. (EPA Images pic)
ADDIS ABABA:
Uganda said on Saturday it had confirmed three new cases of Ebola, bringing to five the total since the virus outbreak was discovered in the east African country on May 15.

“Three new cases of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have been confirmed in the country,” the health ministry said, naming the patients as a Ugandan driver, a Ugandan health worker and a woman from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicentre of a deadly outbreak sowing fear in the region.

“The ministry continues to strengthen surveillance, case management, contact tracing and public awareness efforts to contain the outbreak and protect the health and safety of all Ugandans,” it said in a statement on X.

The news came a day after the World Health Organization said the risk from the outbreak had been raised to the highest level for the DRC.

On Thursday, Uganda suspended all public transport to the DRC after confirming two cases of Ebola – one infection and one death – involving Congolese nationals who crossed the border.

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