Uganda Confirms Ebola Outbreak After Imported Case Linked to DRC Cluster

Mintesinot Niggusie

Uganda has confirmed an outbreak of Ebola virus disease after a patient infected with the Bundibugyo strain died in intensive care, with health authorities tracing the infection to a wider outbreak cluster in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Ministry of Health said the case was imported from the DRC’s Ituri province, where recent Ebola infections have been reported, before crossing into Uganda through population movement along the shared border. The patient developed severe haemorrhagic symptoms and died on May 14, with laboratory tests later confirming Ebola virus disease.

Officials said outbreak response measures have been activated, including surveillance, contact tracing and intensified screening at border points. The Bundibugyo strain, first identified in Uganda in 2007, is among several Ebola variants capable of causing severe illness and death.

Health authorities said the cross-border nature of the case reflects the persistent vulnerability of the Uganda–DRC corridor, where movement linked to trade and mining continues to complicate containment of infectious diseases.

Uganda has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks over the past two decades and maintains established response systems, including isolation facilities, laboratory networks and targeted vaccination of frontline health workers to mitigate regional transmission risks.