Uganda has ordered the temporary closure of its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo following growing fears over the spread of the deadly Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, a virus for which no approved emergency vaccine currently exists.
The decision came after reports that several Ugandan health workers became infected while treating patients believed to have crossed from eastern DR Congo.
The Ugandan government announced the emergency measures early on Wednesday, saying the border shutdown would take effect immediately as authorities attempt to prevent wider transmission inside the country.
Addressing the nation on behalf of the government, Uganda Health Ministry Permanent Secretary Diana Atwine said the closure was necessary because of the rapidly changing outbreak situation in neighboring Congo.
“Uganda is temporarily closing the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo with immediate effect,” Atwine said during a televised government briefing.
“The only exceptions are for authorized Ebola response teams, humanitarian operations, food and cargo transportation, and security operations, but all this will still be under strict health screening and monitoring protocols,” she added.
The move places Uganda on a more aggressive path than guidance usually preferred by the World Health Organization, which generally discourages complete border closures during disease outbreaks and instead recommends tighter screening, surveillance, and movement controls.
Ugandan authorities defended the decision, arguing that the Bundibugyo Ebola strain presents unusual risks because no fully approved treatment or emergency vaccine has yet been authorized specifically for the outbreak.
Under the new rules, anyone allowed to enter Uganda from DR Congo under emergency circumstances will face mandatory monitoring and quarantine measures lasting 21 days.
Atwine also warned that all travelers arriving from Congo, whether by air or through land crossings, would be subjected to strict medical observation.
“If you have been in DRC and you come to Uganda, you will be required to undergo Uganda’s health monitoring and quarantine procedures,” she said.
The emergency restrictions are expected to affect trade, transport, and cross-border communities that rely heavily on daily movement between Uganda and eastern Congo.
Officials said humanitarian aid deliveries and Ebola response teams would still be allowed to operate under tightly controlled health conditions to avoid disrupting emergency medical operations in affected areas.
The latest measures come as health authorities across East and Central Africa continue monitoring the worsening Ebola situation in DR Congo and Uganda, where fears of regional spread have already pushed neighboring countries to increase border surveillance.
Recent Africa CDC risk assessments placed several nearby countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, and Burundi, under heightened Ebola monitoring due to growing concerns over cross-border transmission.
Public health experts say Uganda’s latest move reflects the difficult balance governments now face between controlling outbreaks and maintaining regional economic activity.
The Ebola outbreak has already renewed painful memories of the COVID-19 pandemic, when delayed border controls and inconsistent health measures allowed diseases to spread rapidly across continents.
