Uganda has introduced a 21-day quarantine requirement for citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) following renewed concerns about Ebola transmission across the region.
Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced the measure on 25 October 2026 as authorities strengthened precautions following reports of Ebola cases in Kenya and Nigeria involving individuals who had recently travelled through Uganda.
Uganda declared an end to its latest Ebola outbreak in July. However, officials are investigating the circumstances surrounding Nigeria’s confirmed case, involving a 42-year-old woman who travelled from Uganda through Addis Ababa to Abuja on 3 October. Nigerian authorities reported that 53 contacts had been traced and the patient’s condition had improved.
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Kenya’s first reported patient had also travelled from DR Congo through Uganda before flying from Entebbe to Nairobi on 3 October. The patient died two days later. Ugandan officials said a review of airport CCTV footage found no physical interaction between the Kenyan and Nigerian patients.
WHO’s regional director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Yakub Janabi, also condemned the attack on X. “Health is NOT a target,” he said. “Those responding to the Ebola outbreak must be protected. Misinformation and fear must never fuel violence.”
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Authorities are reviewing genomic sequencing, travel histories and potential exposure routes in coordination with international partners. Uganda has also intensified traveller screening at Entebbe International Airport and land border crossings. Travellers entering the country by air, land or water must complete passenger locator forms.
The developments highlight ongoing regional efforts to monitor potential Ebola transmission and strengthen cross-border disease surveillance. The World Health Organization has also called for the safety of healthcare workers responding to Ebola alerts in DR Congo, following an attack that killed a nurse and severely injured another health worker.
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