Uganda imposes 21-day quarantine for DRC travellers amid Ebola fears

Uganda is enforcing a 21-day quarantine for citizens who have recently traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in response to Ebola concerns. Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced the precautionary measure on Sunday, despite Uganda declaring an end to its most recent Ebola outbreak in July. Health experts have expressed worry following the discovery of two individuals who had traveled from Uganda to Kenya and Nigeria, respectively, and subsequently tested positive for the virus.

The Nigerian case involves the wife of a Swiss diplomat who visited Uganda last month, with officials investigating the situation in collaboration with Nigerian authorities and international partners. Swiss authorities reported that the woman contracted the virus in Uganda, but Baryomunsi disagreed, asserting that Switzerland was "speaking prematurely" and emphasizing the need for scientific evidence rather than political speculation.

The woman's relatives from West Nile visited her in Kansanga, a suburb of Kampala, and those relatives had visited Congo. This scenario mirrors the case of Kenya's first Ebola patient, who had traveled from the DRC to Uganda and then to Nairobi, eventually dying two days after arrival. Both the Kenyan and Nigerian cases passed through the same Ugandan airport on the same day, although there was no physical interaction between them, according to Diana Atwine, the health ministry’s permanent secretary.

All 60 contacts associated with the Kenyan Ebola case have completed their 21-day monitoring period and been discharged. In light of these developments, Uganda has intensified traveler screening at Entebbe International Airport and all land border crossings, requiring all travelers entering the country by air, land, or water to complete a passenger locator form.

Genomic analysis of Nigeria’s confirmed Ebola case revealed that the virus is closely related to the strain detected in Kenya's index case, although Nigerian authorities stated there is no evidence linking the Kenya case to travel from Uganda. Uganda shares a border with the DRC, the region where the Ebola outbreak originated, and has previously experienced its own Ebola outbreaks.