Uganda shuts border with Congo as rare Ebola strain fuels surge in cases
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan authorities on Wednesday ordered the immediate closure of the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, citing a sharp rise in suspected cases of a rare Ebola strain that has now surpassed 1,000, with dozens of new infections also emerging inside Uganda.
The decision, which directly contradicts guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO), reflects deepening concern in an East African nation already familiar with Ebola — but now facing the Bundibugyo strain, for which no approved treatments or vaccines exist. The WHO has discouraged border closures during outbreaks, arguing they often drive travelers to unmonitored crossings and increase the risk of undetected spread.
Uganda’s local Ebola task force ordered the closure after a number of Ugandan health workers were exposed to the virus by Congolese patients who crossed into Uganda before the outbreak was formally declared on May 15. In a briefing to journalists, Dr. Diana Atwine, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, said cross-border travel would now be limited to emergencies — including outbreak response, cargo transport or security needs. Anyone entering from Congo under such circumstances must undergo mandatory self-isolation for 21 days.
The WHO, while acknowledging that neighboring countries face elevated risk, has long argued against border closures, saying they push people and goods toward informal crossing points that are not monitored, thereby increasing the chance of the disease spreading. Infected individuals and those who have been in contact with them should not travel internationally unless for a medical evacuation, the U.N. agency said.
Tracking and isolating contacts of Ebola patients remains a cornerstone of outbreak control. The virus spreads through direct contact with the bodily fluids of sick or deceased individuals, and health workers and family caregivers are at the highest risk, experts say.
In eastern Congo, the number of suspected cases has neared 1,000, with at least 220 suspected deaths. Congo’s health ministry reported Tuesday that 101 cases have been confirmed, and authorities are investigating more than 3,000 potential contacts. The outbreak has been complicated by the region’s persistent insecurity, including armed groups, a large displaced population and poor infrastructure.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday called for a ceasefire in the region to allow safe access for responders, saying on social media that “attacks on health facilities make tracking cases and their contacts nearly impossible.”
Responders in Congo have said they are underprepared and underprotected for this outbreak. Conflict-traumatized residents, already wary of outsiders, have attacked clinics and hurled stones and abuse at volunteers trying to raise awareness about the virus and its risks.
The border between Uganda and Congo stretches several hundred miles, dotted with informal footpaths beyond official crossing points. Thousands of people cross daily to visit family or trade, making enforcement of any closure particularly challenging.
Uganda has reported seven Ebola cases so far, including the first — a 59-year-old man who died in Kampala, the capital, on May 14. While the case count has not spiked, the number of locals exposed through infected health workers has been rising. “They have families, and so the number has been increasing,” Atwine said of health workers placed under isolation.
Atwine also voiced frustration with crowds of Ugandans celebrating Arsenal winning the English Premier League title, urging the public to remain vigilant, avoid shaking hands and use sanitizer. “I don’t understand,” she said.
Congo has experienced 17 Ebola outbreaks, and health experts say aid cuts imposed by the United States and other wealthy nations last year are devastating for eastern Congo, which relies heavily on international support to contain the virus. Aid groups fighting the current outbreak report shortages of face shields, protective suits, testing kits and body bags needed to safely bury the dead.