Uganda has suspended all flights to and from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and introduced sweeping cross-border transport restrictions in response to a worsening Ebola outbreak, authorities announced on Thursday.
The measures come after the detection of imported Ebola cases in the Ugandan capital and a sharp rise in infections in eastern DRC, where health officials have reported hundreds of suspected cases and dozens of deaths since the outbreak was declared earlier this month.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health said the National Task Force, chaired by Vice President Jessica Alupo, had ordered the suspension of air travel between the two countries within 48 hours as part of efforts to prevent further cross-border transmission.
The decision follows confirmation that a 59-year-old Congolese national died from Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease at Kibuli Muslim Hospital in Kampala. A second patient is currently being treated in isolation at Mulago National Referral Hospital, while 127 contacts have been identified and placed under institutional quarantine.
In addition to the flight ban, authorities have also suspended public passenger ferry services on the Semuliki River, cross-border bus operations, and all public transport links between Uganda and the DRC for an initial period of four weeks. Movement of goods and essential supplies will, however, continue.
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Weekly markets in high-risk border districts have also been shut, alongside cultural and public gatherings that typically draw large crowds along the border region.
A senior health official, Diana Atwine, said the National Task Force had taken the measures as part of a broader containment strategy aimed at preventing further spread while strengthening surveillance and contact tracing efforts.
She stressed that controlling the outbreak ultimately depends on interrupting transmission chains within the DRC, where the situation has continued to deteriorate in recent days.
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Health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) have reported a significant escalation of cases in the DRC, with around 600 suspected infections and 139 probable deaths recorded since the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.
The outbreak, initially concentrated in Ituri Province, has now spread to North Kivu and South Kivu, raising concerns about wider regional transmission given the high level of cross-border movement in the Great Lakes region.
Ugandan officials said the country remains committed to regional coordination efforts with Congolese authorities and international partners, including the WHO, to contain the outbreak.
Uganda has previously experienced multiple Ebola outbreaks, given its proximity to affected regions in eastern DRC, and has in recent years strengthened surveillance, rapid response systems and border health screening mechanisms.
Health experts warn that the current outbreak underscores the persistent risk of cross-border spread in densely connected border communities, where trade, travel and social ties remain strong despite periodic health emergencies.
Authorities say monitoring, quarantine and movement restrictions will remain in place for at least four weeks, with further adjustments expected depending on the trajectory of the outbreak.
