Uganda Closes DR Congo Border Over Ebola Outbreak Fears

Uganda has temporarily shut its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo over fears of the continued spread of the Ebola virus, the country’s Ministry of Health announced on Wednesday.

The Ebola outbreak is currently concentrated in Congo’s Ituri province, which borders western Uganda. Ugandan authorities have already confirmed seven cases of the virus in Kampala, the nation’s capital.

According to a report by the New York Times one of the infected persons died in Kampala after travelling there in search of medical treatment during the early stages of the outbreak.

Speaking at a press briefing in Kampala, the Permanent Secretary at Uganda’s Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Atwine, said the border closure would remain in place temporarily as part of efforts to contain the disease.

According to her, only authorized Ebola response personnel, humanitarian workers, food and cargo transporters, and security officials would be permitted to cross the border, subject to strict health checks.

“The only exceptions are for authorized Ebola response teams, humanitarian operations, food and cargo transportation, and security personnel, but all entrants will still undergo strict health screening and monitoring protocols across the border,” Atwine said.

She added that all approved entrants would be subjected to mandatory health screening before entry into Uganda.

Data from the World Health Organization indicates that the outbreak has recorded more than 1,000 infections and over 200 deaths, mostly in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The WHO declared the outbreak a global health emergency on May 17, warning that the disease poses a significant regional and international health risk.

Health officials say the current outbreak is now the third-largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded.

Meanwhile, some public health experts have argued that recent cuts to disease surveillance systems by the administration of former U.S. President Donald Trump, alongside the shutdown of the United States Agency for International Development, have slowed international response efforts to the outbreak.