Uganda has confirmed three additional cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), pushing the country’s total number of infections to five as health authorities step up contact tracing and surveillance efforts.
In a statement released Saturday, Director General of Health Services Prof Charles Olaro said two of the newly confirmed patients are Ugandan nationals linked to the country’s first Ebola case.
One is a driver who transported the initial patient, while the other is a healthcare worker who was exposed while providing treatment.
The ministry said both cases were identified through ongoing contact tracing operations and are currently receiving medical care in isolation facilities.
The third confirmed patient is a Congolese woman who had travelled into Uganda from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) while experiencing mild abdominal symptoms.
According to health officials, she moved from Arua to Entebbe aboard a chartered flight before seeking treatment at a private hospital in Kampala on May 10.
She was reportedly treated and discharged four days later after showing signs of improvement before returning to the DRC.
However, Ugandan surveillance teams later traced her movements after receiving information from the pilot involved in the chartered flight. Subsequent testing of samples linked to the patient later confirmed Ebola infection.
Health officials said all identified contacts connected to the latest cases are under close monitoring as response teams work to contain further spread of the virus.
The outbreak initially involved two Congolese nationals, one of whom later died while the other continues to receive treatment.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health has urged the public to remain alert and immediately report symptoms associated with Ebola, including fever, fatigue, vomiting, and unexplained bleeding.
Authorities say nationwide response measures have been reinforced, including enhanced border screening, public awareness campaigns, case management, and rapid response coordination aimed at preventing a wider outbreak.
