Under the new measures, the government suspended ferry passenger services on the Semliki River along the Uganda-DRC border and halted cross-border public road transport for four weeks.

 

All flights between the two countries will also be suspended within 48 hours, as authorities intensify screening in high-risk districts.

Uganda also ordered increased border patrols to curb illegal crossings and stricter enforcement of infection prevention measures in schools, prisons, hotels, places of worship and non-weekly markets. Cargo trucks carrying food and essential goods will continue operating.

Schools will remain open but must implement new standard operating procedures issued by the Ministry of Health, including bans on handshakes and hugging, with nearby health facilities expected to support monitoring.

Mixed messagingMuseveni said concern over the outbreak had been overstated.

Speaking at the 10th Pearl of Africa Tourism Expo at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, he accused international outlets, including CNN, of exaggerating the threat despite Uganda’s disease control systems.“I notice there is a lot of panic about Ebola created by people who do not know much about science. I was watching CNN spreading fear through ignorance,” Museveni said.

The President said Ebola was easier to contain than Covid-19 because it spreads through direct contact.“Ebola is much easier to contain than Covid-19 because it spreads through contact, unlike Covid, which is airborne,” he said.

He did not cite a specific report he believed was inaccurate.

His remarks came as regional concern mounted after Uganda’s Ministry of Health confirmed two imported Ebola cases linked to the outbreak in eastern Congo. Both involved Congolese nationals who entered Uganda legally. One died.

In the DRC, at least 136 people have died and more than 600 infections have been recorded.

Authorities said 127 contacts linked to the cases had been identified and placed under institutional quarantine as surveillance intensified.

Containment modeThe outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which health experts say has a fatality rate of about 50 percent and no approved vaccine or specific treatment.

Despite the risks, Museveni insisted Uganda’s public health systems could manage imported infections through border screening, temperature checks, contact tracing and rapid isolation.“The correct description of the outbreak is that it is in Congo with a few people in Uganda,” he said.

Museveni also rejected proposals for a full border closure, arguing that controlled legal movement could continue safely with proper screening.“If we work with the DRC government, we can instruct that anyone who has a fever must not travel,” he said. “At the border, we check temperatures and guide people on reporting symptoms.”Given Uganda’s close trade and transport links with eastern DRC, the government warned that the risk of more imported cases remained high, particularly in border districts and urban centres such as Kampala.

High-risk districts named by the ministry include Kasese, Bundibugyo, Kisoro, Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Hoima, Wakiso and several refugee-hosting areas along the western corridor.

The National Task Force, chaired by Vice President Jessica Alupo, has activated emergency preparedness measures nationwide. Authorities have also suspended crowded border markets, citing fears of transmission through heavy human contact.

In western border towns such as Kasese and Bundibugyo, the restrictions are already disrupting trade and movement, with traders reporting income losses as transport links are suspended and markets closed.

Schools have been ordered to install handwashing facilities with running water and soap at entrances, classrooms, dormitories, dining halls, toilets and staff rooms. Mandatory handwashing for learners, staff and visitors, alongside temperature screening, has also been introduced.

Schools must also regularly disinfect classrooms, dormitories, vehicles and frequently touched surfaces, while head teachers have been directed to establish isolation areas for suspected cases and maintain contact with nearby health facilities and surveillance teams.

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