No active Ebola case in Uganda - Ministry of Health
Director General of Health Services Prof. Charles Olaro said the woman travelled through Uganda without symptoms, adding that the location of exposure remains under investigation.
Prof. Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services in the health ministry. (File)
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There is no confirmed active Ebola case in Uganda, the Ministry of Health has clarified.
The ministry's clarification came after reports went viral of a confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria involving a Nigerian woman who travelled to Eastern DR Congo for business and transited through Uganda as she travelled back to Nigeria.
Prof. Charles Olaro, the Director General of Health Services in the health ministry, said, "Preliminary information indicates that the Nigerian woman transited through Uganda in early October without symptoms and developed symptoms after arriving in Nigeria. Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here. The location of exposure remains under investigation."
Olaro said the Government of Nigeria is yet to provide detailed information on the Nigerian woman's travel itinerary and clinical history, which will guide further investigations and any necessary contact tracing.
"We wish to clarify that as at the time of this statement, Uganda has no confirmed active Ebola case," Olaro said.
Additionally, he said limited provisions had been maintained for humanitarian and diplomatic movement.
Olaro said the health ministry, working with relevant agencies, will further strengthen screening and public health controls at Uganda's points of entry.
"We urge the public to remain calm, vigilant and to practice regular handwashing and sanitising," Olaro said, adding that the health ministry will continue to share verified updates through its official channels.
Uganda declared Ebola-free
The outbreak, caused by the Ebola Bundibugyo strain, was contained through rapid case detection, extensive contact tracing, laboratory testing, treatment of confirmed cases, infection prevention measures and intensive community engagement.
Uganda also strengthened surveillance at border points and activated emergency response teams across high-risk districts to minimise the risk of further spread. The response has since attracted regional recognition, with health experts describing it as an example of how early intervention and coordinated leadership can successfully contain deadly infectious disease outbreaks.
Two leading public health institutions; the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Africa Centres for Disease Control (CDC), recently cautioned Uganda against lowering its guard with the latest declaration of an end to the latest Ebola outbreak, saying the situation in neighbouring DR Congo continues to pose a serious threat to regional health security.
The caution was delivered on August 3 during a high-level joint mission visit by the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof. Mohamed Yakub Janabi; and the Africa CDC director general to Kampala, Dr Jean Kaseya.
The two directors met with Vice President Jessica Alupo and health ministry officials to review lessons from Uganda's successful containment of the Ebola Bundibugyo disease outbreak and discuss strengthening regional preparedness.