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Uganda has barred travellers with a history of travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from transiting through the country as authorities intensify measures to prevent the spread of Ebola following an imported case reported in Nigeria.
The Ministry of Health announced the restrictions on Friday, October 23, amid investigations into a woman who travelled through Uganda before testing positive for Bundibugyo Ebola in Nigeria.
“Travellers with a history of travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo will not be permitted to transit through Uganda,” the ministry said in a statement signed by Director General of Health Services, Prof. Charles Olaro.
The directive comes as Nigerian authorities establish a close genetic similarity between the virus detected in their first imported case and an Ebola case reported in Kenya.Nigeria’s Coordinating Minister of Health, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said genomic sequencing showed that the two virus samples differed by just one mutation.
“Genomic sequencing shows that the Ebola virus from Nigeria’s recently reported only imported case is highly similar to that from Kenya’s reported first imported case, differing by only one mutation,” Pate said.The findings have raised questions about possible common exposure during the patients’ journeys through the region, although genetic similarity alone does not establish where either patient contracted the virus.
Uganda’s Health Ministry said preliminary information indicated that the woman who subsequently tested positive in Nigeria had shown no symptoms when she departed Uganda.
“Available information indicates that the traveller did not exhibit symptoms at the time of departure from Uganda. However, investigations are continuing to establish the timing of symptom onset and the circumstances surrounding her infection,” the ministry said.
Uganda has requested detailed travel records and genomic sequencing results from Nigerian authorities to establish the woman’s movements and possible exposure.
The ministry said it was working closely with Nigeria, Africa CDC, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organisation.
Tougher Border Measures
Under the new precautions, Uganda has reinstated traveller locator forms for all passengers, regardless of their country of origin, to facilitate contact tracing.
Infection prevention and control measures have also been strengthened at border crossings, airports and health facilities, while nationwide surveillance continues.
The ministry warned that provisions of the Public Health Act would be invoked against individuals breaching public health requirements.
People entering Uganda through unauthorised routes will also be referred to the relevant authorities for action.
The measures come amid a major Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the DRC, which has raised concerns about cross-border transmission given the extensive movement of people and goods between the neighbouring countries.
Nigeria confirmed its imported case on October 20, while Kenya has also reported Ebola infections linked to a traveller from the DRC.
Uganda’s latest restrictions could affect passengers using Entebbe International Airport and other transit routes after travelling from the DRC, although the ministry did not specify how the travel-history restriction would be implemented or how long it would remain in force.
Despite the heightened precautions, Olaro maintained that no Ebola cases had been confirmed in Uganda.
“The Ministry of Health wishes to assure the country that Uganda remains Ebola-free,” he said.
The ministry urged travellers and communities to comply with screening requirements, practise hand hygiene and report suspected unauthorised border crossings to facilitate public health surveillance.
Chimp reports
