Ugandan medical doctor and civil servant; Permanent Secretary, Uganda Ministry of Health
A Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo has spread into Uganda, with cases confirmed in Kampala. Health officials warn that diagnostic delays and weak surveillance are hampering containment amid armed conflict and displacement. The WHO has declared a public health emergency of international concern.
Confirmed Ebola cases in DRC have surpassed 80 with hundreds more suspected. Uganda has reported three new cases, bringing its tally to five, including one death. Uganda suspends flights and all nonessential transport with exceptions for cargo, while Rwanda tightens entry rules and strengthens screening at Kigali airport. The WHO has raised the outbreak’s regional risk to very high as Congo’s Bundibugyo strain drives cases; contact tracing remains the primary containment method.