Authorities in Uganda have ordered the immediate closure of the country’s border with Democratic Republic of the Congo following a surge in cases of a rare type of Ebola linked to neighbouring Congo.
The decision was announced on Wednesday by a local Ebola task force led by Ugandan Vice President Jesca Alupo after health officials reported growing numbers of Ugandan health workers exposed to infected Congolese patients who crossed the border before the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.
Uganda has so far confirmed seven Ebola cases, including the first patient, a 59-year-old man who died in Kampala on May 14.
Although officials said the country is not yet experiencing a rapid increase in infections, concerns are rising over the number of people exposed through infected medical workers.
“They have families, and so the number has been increasing,” said Diana Atwine, the permanent secretary at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, while referring to exposed health workers.
Health authorities in eastern Congo are reportedly battling a much larger outbreak, with suspected Ebola cases approaching 1,000 and at least 220 suspected deaths already recorded.
The outbreak has heightened fears of wider regional transmission, especially in border communities where movement between both countries is common.
Uganda has previously faced several Ebola outbreaks and is considered one of Africa’s more experienced countries in handling the disease due to its rapid-response systems and previous containment efforts.
Ebola is a severe viral illness spread through direct contact with bodily fluids of infected persons or contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and internal bleeding, while severe cases can be fatal if not treated quickly.
Authorities in Uganda say surveillance and emergency response measures are being intensified to prevent further spread of the virus.
