Uganda confirms three new Ebola cases, total reaches five

Uganda has confirmed three additional cases of Ebola Virus Disease, raising the total number of infections in the country to five, the Ministry of Health said on Saturday, May 23.

According to the ministry, cited by foreign media, these are the first locally detected Ebola cases in Uganda since an outbreak began in neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), marking a significant development in the spread of the disease across the border.

Two of the newly confirmed cases involve Ugandan nationals who were directly linked to the country’s first confirmed patient. One of them is a driver who transported the index case, while the other is a health worker who was exposed while providing care. Health authorities said both individuals are currently receiving treatment.

The third confirmed case is a Congolese woman who had travelled from the DRC. The ministry said she entered Uganda with mild abdominal symptoms and later flew on a chartered flight from Arua to Entebbe. She subsequently sought medical attention at a private hospital in Kampala on May 10. An investigation into her case was launched after health officials received a report from the pilot who had transported her.

Authorities stated that all individuals who had contact with the confirmed cases have been identified and are now under close monitoring as part of containment efforts.

The Ministry of Health urged the public to remain calm and continue following preventive measures, emphasising that early treatment significantly improves survival rates.

Uganda has also stepped up its response, intensifying surveillance, case management, contact tracing, and public awareness campaigns in an effort to contain the outbreak.

By Tamilla Hasanova