Uganda Closes Border With Congo Over Ebola Surge

Ugandan authorities on Wednesday ordered the closure of the border with Congo “with immediate effect” as suspected cases of a rare Ebola type surge near 1,000 in its neighbor and additional cases emerge at home. The measure, which goes against World Health Organization guidance, was decided by a local Ebola task force after a rise in Ugandan health workers exposed to the virus by Congolese patients who crossed before the outbreak was declared on May 15.

Travel across the Congo border will be authorized only in emergency cases, including for the outbreak response, cargo or security reasons, Dr. Diana Atwine, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, told journalists. Any people entering from Congo under emergency circumstances will be taken into mandatory self-isolation for 21 days.

" — Dr. The number of suspected cases in eastern Congo is nearing 1,000, with at least 220 suspected deaths. The virus is spread through close contact with sick or deceased patients’ bodily fluids. Experts say healthcare workers and family members caring for patients face the highest risk.

The WHO, while declaring this outbreak a public health emergency of international concern, discouraged border closures while acknowledging that neighboring countries are at high risk of contagion. N. agency said. Health authorities in Congo are struggling to contain the outbreak that the WHO has said is outpacing them, after the rare type of Ebola was confirmed weeks late as tests were carried out for a more common type.

Challenges include the threat of armed groups in eastern Congo, a large number of displaced people and poor infrastructure. Responders in Congo have said they are underprepared and underprotected for this outbreak, while conflict-traumatized residents long wary of outsiders have attacked a number of clinics and hurled stones and abuse at volunteers trying to make people aware of the virus and its risks.

Uganda has reported seven cases of Ebola, including the first case of a 59-year-old man who died in Kampala on May 14.