Uganda’s Ministry of Health has declared an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease after laboratory tests confirmed infection in a 59-year-old Congolese man who died at Kibuli Muslim Hospital following four days of treatment.
According to the ministry, the patient was admitted on 11 May 2026 with respiratory distress, fever, epigastric pain, nausea and difficulty urinating. His condition deteriorated rapidly while in the Intensive Care Unit, and he died on 14 May after developing bleeding symptoms, a hallmark of advanced Ebola infection. His body was repatriated to the Democratic Republic of the Congo the same evening.
The outbreak was officially declared on Thursday, 15 May, after health authorities in the DRC alerted Uganda about a suspected Ebola case. A preserved sample collected during the patient’s treatment was tested at the Central Emergency Surveillance and Response Support laboratory in Wandegeya and returned positive for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola.
“This is an imported case from the DRC. The country has not yet confirmed a local case,” the Ministry of Health said in a statement.
Government activates emergency response
The government has since intensified surveillance and emergency response measures across the country, particularly along Uganda’s western border with the DRC.
Rapid response teams have been deployed at both official and informal border entry points, major transit routes and pilgrimage corridors. A mobile laboratory has been dispatched to Bwera Hospital to strengthen testing capacity in high-risk areas.
Health authorities have also activated isolation facilities, infection prevention and control measures, and community risk communication campaigns in vulnerable districts.
The ministry confirmed that one high-risk contact, described as a close relative of the deceased, has already been isolated, while all other identified contacts are under quarantine and being monitored closely.
Why the Bundibugyo strain matters
The Bundibugyo strain was first identified in Uganda’s Bundibugyo District in 2007 during an outbreak that claimed 37 lives. It is one of six known species of Ebolavirus and differs from the Zaire strain responsible for the major outbreaks in West Africa and eastern Congo over the past decade.
Like other Ebola strains, the virus spreads through direct contact with infected blood, body fluids or contaminated materials, as well as contact with infected animals such as fruit bats, chimpanzees and gorillas. Health experts stress that Ebola is not airborne.
Symptoms include sudden fever, fatigue, chest pain, diarrhoea, vomiting and unexplained bleeding. Medical officials noted that the bleeding symptoms developed late in the patient’s illness, highlighting how rapidly the disease can worsen once infection becomes severe.
Cross-border health risks remain high
The imported case has once again exposed the public health risks posed by the porous border between Uganda and the DRC, where Ebola outbreaks have repeatedly occurred.
Cross-border movement for trade, family visits and religious activities remains frequent and largely informal, complicating efforts to screen travelers effectively.
The Ministry of Health’s decision to monitor “pilgrimage corridors” indicates heightened concern over transmission linked to cultural and religious travel patterns.
Uganda, however, has extensive experience handling Ebola outbreaks, having managed several since 2000. Health experts say the country’s institutional experience in surveillance, contact tracing and emergency response could help contain the situation quickly if no further transmission occurs.
The Ministry’s statement, signed by Permanent Secretary Dr. Diana Atwine, urged health workers to maintain a high level of vigilance and report any suspected cases immediately.
The public has been advised to avoid physical contact with symptomatic individuals, maintain proper hand hygiene and avoid exposure to body fluids. Authorities also warned that any burial involving a suspected Ebola victim must be supervised by trained health teams to ensure safe and dignified burial procedures.
