Uganda has closed its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo as authorities step up measures to contain the spread of Ebola, raising fresh concerns over disruptions to regional trade and cross-border economic activities in East and Central Africa.
Uganda’s National Task Force on Ebola Response said the temporary closure was prompted by fears of increased cross-border transmission following a surge in suspected Ebola infections in eastern Congo. The move is expected to affect informal trade, cargo movement, and the livelihoods of border communities that rely heavily on daily commercial exchanges between both countries.
The health alert follows Uganda’s confirmation of its first Ebola case less than two weeks ago after a Congolese patient reportedly crossed into the country seeking treatment. The patient later died in intensive care in Kampala on May 14 after developing severe bleeding symptoms linked to the virus. According to World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Congo had confirmed 101 Ebola cases and 10 deaths as of May 25, although the true scale of the outbreak may be far higher. More than 900 suspected infections and 220 suspected deaths have also been reported, heightening fears of wider economic and public health consequences across the region.
