Uganda Denies Active Ebola Cases After Nigeria Confirms Infection in Woman With Travel Links to East Africa

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Uganda’s Ministry of Health has said the country has no confirmed active Ebola cases, hours after Nigeria announced a confirmed infection in a woman with a recent travel history involving Uganda.

In a public statement dated October 20, 2026, Uganda’s Ministry of Health urged the public to remain calm and vigilant, saying preliminary information indicated that the woman had travelled to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for business before transiting through Uganda in early October.

The statement, signed by Uganda’s Director General of Health Services, Professor Charles Olaro, said the woman reportedly developed symptoms after arriving in Nigeria.

“We wish to clarify that, as at the time of this statement, Uganda has NO confirmed active Ebola cases,” the ministry said.

Ugandan authorities stressed that the woman’s passage through the country did not establish that she contracted the virus there, adding that investigations were still needed to determine the location of her exposure.

“Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here. The location of exposure remains under investigation,” the statement said.

The clarification followed Nigeria’s confirmation on October 20 of an imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the patient’s symptoms began on October 7, four days after her reported arrival in Nigeria. She sought treatment at a private health facility in Abuja on October 11, and laboratory tests confirmed the infection on October 20.

The WHO said the patient was placed in isolation and receiving medical care, while Nigerian health authorities identified 44 contacts for monitoring. Contact tracing and infection prevention measures were initiated to reduce the risk of further transmission.

However, further information released on October 22 by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) presented a different account of the woman’s travel history. Africa CDC Director General Jean Kaseya reportedly said the patient, who resides in Abuja, had travelled to Kampala, Uganda, for a holiday before returning to Nigeria.

The differing accounts have made it important for health authorities in Nigeria and Uganda to share verified information about the woman’s itinerary, movements and possible exposure to the virus. The precise location where she contracted the infection had not been conclusively established in the reports available.

Uganda’s Ministry of Health said the Nigerian government had yet to provide detailed information about the woman’s travel itinerary and clinical history that would help guide further investigations and determine whether any additional contact tracing was necessary in Uganda.

The ministry added that it was working with relevant agencies to strengthen screening and public health controls at points of entry. It also urged residents to practise regular handwashing and sanitising and promised to provide updates through official channels.

The case has drawn attention to the cross-border risks associated with the ongoing Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak in the region. The outbreak in the DRC has been linked to infections reported in other countries, while Kenya has also reported cases connected to an imported infection.

Ebola Bundibugyo is caused by the Bundibugyo virus, one of the viruses that can cause Ebola disease. The infection can spread through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person, or contaminated materials.

The WHO has called on countries in the region to maintain strong surveillance, rapid testing, contact tracing and infection prevention measures. It has also advised against imposing travel or trade restrictions on affected countries as a general response to the outbreak.

Uganda’s statement should therefore be understood as a clarification of its own case status, not a rejection of Nigeria’s laboratory-confirmed diagnosis. Whether the woman was exposed in Uganda, the DRC or elsewhere remains a question for the ongoing investigation.

As both countries continue their public health response, cooperation and timely sharing of verified information will be crucial to establish the source of infection and prevent further spread.