The Ugandan government has announced a sweeping set of temporary emergency measures, including travel suspensions and a ban on large gatherings, following a recent Ebola outbreak in the neigbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and a number of imported cases registered within Uganda.
The directives were issued following a high-level National Taskforce meeting convened by the Vice President, Jessica Alupo on Thursday to assess the growing health threat.
To minimize the risk of cross-border transmission, the government has suspended all direct flights between Uganda and the DRC, with the directive set to take effect within 48 hours. Additionally, cross-border passenger transport and public passenger ferry services across the River Semuliki have been halted for four weeks. However, the Ministry of Health clarified that the transportation of cargo and essential goods will be allowed to continue uninterrupted.
Domestically, strict restrictions are being enforced in high-risk border zones. The government has temporarily suspended weekly markets in border sub-counties, as well as cultural celebrations that attract large crowds in districts along the Uganda-DRC border.
According to the Ministry of Health, these drastic actions are strictly temporary and intended to safeguard the public while the government intensifies its response infrastructure.
“These measures are designed to minimize cross-border transmission as our medical teams intensify surveillance, contact tracing, and overall emergency preparedness efforts,” the Ministry stated.
Health officials will continue to monitor the border region closely to determine when it will be safe to lift the restrictions.