Health 23 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Confirms New Ebola Cases; US Extends Travel Restrictions
Uganda has confirmed three new cases of the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, bringing the total to five, as the WHO warns of a potential epidemic in neighboring DRC. The US has also expanded its Ebola-related travel restrictions to include Green Card holders. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/uganda-confirms-fresh-ebola-cases-as-us-extends-green-card-travel-restrictions-5470244
Uganda’s Ministry of Health announced on Saturday the confirmation of three additional Ebola cases, pushing the nation’s total to five. This surge comes just as the World Health Organization expressed grave concerns about a potential epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The new infections include a Ugandan driver who transported the country’s first confirmed patient, a healthcare worker who treated that initial case, and a Congolese woman who recently traveled from the DRC. The Congolese patient, after falling ill in her home country, reportedly traveled to Uganda by chartered flight on May 10th and sought treatment at a private hospital in Kampala. While discharged, subsequent testing after a tip-off from the pilot revealed she was positive for Ebola.
The Ministry of Health stated that all identified contacts of the confirmed cases are under close monitoring. The current outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, a less common variant of the virus for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
International alarm has been growing, with the WHO declaring the outbreak in eastern Congo an emergency of international concern. The organization has escalated its risk assessment to very high at the national level for Uganda and high regionally. Despite the regional concerns, WHO acknowledged Uganda’s proactive containment measures, including contact tracing and the cancellation of large public gatherings, appear to be mitigating local spread.
In parallel, the United States announced it would extend its Ebola-related travel restrictions to include lawful permanent residents, commonly known as Green Card holders, who have recently traveled through Uganda, the DRC, or South Sudan. This move aims to further reduce the risk of the virus entering the US, striking a balance between public health protection and resource management during the emergency response.