NAIROBI, Kenya, May 23 — Uganda has confirmed three additional cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), raising the total number of infections to five, as health authorities intensify contact tracing and cross-border surveillance amid growing regional concern over mobility-linked transmission risks.
The Uganda Ministry of Health said on Saturday that the new infections include a Ugandan driver, a frontline health worker, and a Congolese woman who recently entered the country from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“Three new cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have been confirmed in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to five (5),” the Ministry said.
Health officials indicated that two of the cases were detected through active contact tracing linked to the index patient, underscoring ongoing transmission chains within monitored contacts.
The Ugandan driver is believed to have been exposed while transporting the index patient, highlighting occupational exposure risks among informal and transport sector workers frequently moving between high-risk zones.
The second case involves a frontline health worker who was exposed while caring for the country’s first confirmed Ebola patient, reinforcing long-standing concerns over infection prevention and control gaps in clinical settings during early outbreak stages.
“The two cases were identified from known contacts under follow up,” the Ministry noted.
The third case is a Congolese woman who had recently travelled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo while experiencing mild abdominal symptoms.
Renewed surveillance
Charles Olaro, Director Gneral of Health Services, said she moved through Arua to Entebbe via a chartered flight before seeking treatment at a private hospital in Kampala on May 10, 2026.
“She was initially treated and discharged in good condition on 14th May 2026, after which she traveled back to the DRC,” Olaro said.
However, subsequent epidemiological investigation was triggered after a tip-off from the pilot who had transported her, prompting renewed surveillance efforts.
“Subsequently, the Ministry of Health received a tip-off from the pilot who had airlifted her, prompting further follow-up by surveillance teams,” Olaro added.
The health ministry said all contacts linked to the confirmed cases have been identified and placed under active monitoring, with response teams escalating case management, surveillance, and isolation readiness measures.
“All contacts linked to the confirmed cases have since been identified and are being closely monitored and followed up by response teams,” Olaro said, urging the public to remain calm but vigilant.
The ministry further emphasized early reporting of symptoms such as fever, unexplained bleeding, vomiting, and severe weakness, noting that prompt treatment significantly improves survival outcomes.
“Report any suspected Ebola symptoms immediately to the nearest health facility. Early treatment greatly improves chances of survival,” it advised.
Regional concern
The new infections in Uganda come amid heightened preparedness across East Africa, with Kenya saying it was strengthening border and travel surveillance systems without imposing movement restrictions.
In a status update on Wednesday, MoH ruled out blanket quarantines for travellers and truck drivers, opting instead for targeted, risk-based screening in line with guidance from the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
Afya House said more than 34,500 travellers have already been screened at airports, seaports, and land crossings as authorities seek to prevent importation of the virus from affected neighbouring countries, including Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“There is currently no blanket quarantine for truck drivers or travellers, but enhanced risk-based screening and monitoring measures are in place,” Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale said.
The country has also deployed an online passenger surveillance system to track travellers from high-risk regions, alongside population mobility mapping in border counties and expanded airport screening in coordination with aviation authorities.
Kenya has further strengthened laboratory readiness through designated testing capacity at KEMRI Nairobi, KEMRI Kisumu, and the National Public Health Laboratory, supported by mobile diagnostic platforms to enable rapid response in case of suspected importation.
The strategy, MoH said, is designed to balance outbreak containment with regional trade continuity, especially along busy transport corridors linking Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
MoH maintained that the country remains Ebola-free, while acknowledging that high cross-border mobility and delayed outbreak detection in neighbouring states continue to pose persistent regional risks.
