Uganda Confirms Three More Ebola Cases, Total Rises to Five

Uganda has confirmed three new Ebola cases, raising the total in the current outbreak to five, as authorities intensify contact tracing to curb the spread of the virus.

The update from Uganda's Ministry of Health on Saturday came one day after World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the risk assessment for the Bundibugyo Ebola strain had been revised to “very high at the national level, high at the regional level, and low at the global level.”

Nearly 750 suspected cases and 177 suspected Ebola deaths have been recorded in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicenter of the outbreak. Frontline health workers in the DRC report a shortage of basic supplies, which some attribute to cuts in foreign aid from major international donors, particularly the United States.

The WHO noted that late detection, lack of vaccines or specific treatments, widespread armed violence, and significant population movement make the DRC particularly vulnerable to the disease.

Uganda suspended all public transport to the DRC on Thursday after confirming two Ebola cases—one infection and one death—linked to a Congolese citizen who crossed the border.

The new cases in Uganda reported on Saturday include a driver who transported the country's first confirmed patient and a health worker exposed while caring for that patient. Both are now receiving treatment and were identified among known contacts, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

The third case is a woman from the DRC who entered Uganda with mild abdominal symptoms and later traveled from Arua—near the border—to Entebbe before seeking care at a private hospital in the capital, Kampala. The patient initially improved and returned to the DRC, but later tested positive for Ebola after being tracked down thanks to a tip from the pilot involved in transporting her.

All identified contacts linked to confirmed cases are under close monitoring. The Health Ministry urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious symptoms.

“At this critical time in the outbreak response, it is essential that authorities maintain high vigilance to control the spread of the virus,” Tedros said on Saturday. “The WHO is working closely with the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and partners in the DRC and Uganda to contain the outbreak, support affected people, and strengthen the coordinated response.”