Uganda has temporarily closed its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in a bid to curb the spread of the ongoing Ebola outbreak, the country’s health ministry announced on Wednesday, May 27.
The decision follows the confirmation of seven cases of the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola since the outbreak was first detected in the DRC on May 15.
Uganda’s Health Ministry Permanent Secretary, Diana Atwine, confirmed the development, stating: “Uganda is temporarily closing the border with the DRC with immediate effect.”
She explained that only essential movements would be permitted, including authorised Ebola response teams, humanitarian operations, food and cargo transportation, and security personnel, all of which would be subject to strict health screening and monitoring procedures.
The ministry also introduced a mandatory 21-day quarantine for travellers arriving from the DRC and announced heightened surveillance in schools located near border communities.
The move comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo continues to battle the outbreak, with more than 900 suspected cases and over 220 suspected deaths reported so far. The World Health Organization has classified the outbreak as an international health emergency.
