Uganda orders 21 day quarantine for returnees from DR Congo

Uganda has introduced a mandatory 21-day quarantine for citizens returning from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the BBC, Reuters, and Al Jazeera. The BBC and AP News reported that the Ugandan health ministry announced the new measures on Sunday as the country moves to contain the spread of the Ebola virus. The BBC and AP News also report that Uganda will refuse entry to most travellers seeking to transit through the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo. [1][2][3][4][7]

The health restrictions follow questions after two people who travelled through Uganda tested positive for Ebola in Kenya and Nigeria, the BBC reported. On Sunday, the Ugandan health ministry announced that 60 individuals who were being monitored after contacting the Ebola patient in Kenya have been discharged, according to the BBC. The Washington Post and AP News report that returnees from the Democratic Republic of Congo will be required to pay for their quarantine. [1][2][7]

The Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing its deadliest outbreak of Ebola, with the BBC reporting that more than 4,800 people have died in the country since May. Initial cases of the 2026 Ebola outbreak were reported on 14 May 2026 in Ituri Province. The epidemic rapidly expanded, becoming the fastest growing Ebola outbreak on record by early August. As FTMQ News reported earlier, the outbreak has spread across central and east Africa, with infections confirmed in Kenya and Uganda. [1][9][11][12]

The Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa by land area and shares a border with Uganda. The international response has included safety training for local healthcare workers in East Africa, as FTMQ News reported earlier. Ugandan authorities continue to tighten border controls to stop further cross border transmission of the virus. [1][2][7][8][12]