Ugandan authorities have ordered the immediate closure of the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo following a surge in cases of a rare strain of Ebola in the neighboring country and the emergence of cases within Uganda.
Task Force Decision
The decision was made by a local Ebola task force led by Vice President Jesca Alupo. The move comes after a rise in the number of Ugandan health workers exposed to Ebola by Congolese patients who crossed the border before the outbreak was officially declared on May 15.
Uganda's Ebola Cases
Uganda has reported seven cases of Ebola, including the first case of a 59-year-old man who died in Kampala, the capital, on May 14. While the case load in Uganda is not spiking, the number of locals exposed to infection through health workers has been increasing.
“They have families, and so the number has been increasing,” said Dr. Diana Atwine, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, referring to health workers.
Congo's Outbreak
In eastern Congo, the number of suspected Ebola cases is nearing 1,000, with at least 220 suspected deaths. The outbreak involves a rare type of Ebola, prompting heightened vigilance in the region.
