Uganda’s Ministry of Health has expressed concern over travel restrictions imposed by countries including the United States, Canada, and the Bahamas following an Ebola outbreak detected in the capital, Kampala.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Diana Atwine, said that as of June 4, 2026, there were 15 confirmed Ebola cases in Kampala, including one death—the individual identified as the source of the outbreak in the country.
Dr. Atwine explained that four patients have fully recovered and been discharged from hospital. In addition, 270 people who had contact with infected individuals have completed the required 21-day quarantine period and have been cleared, while about 450 others remain under close monitoring.
She noted that whenever Ebola outbreaks occur in Uganda, health authorities intensify efforts to contain the disease through rapid contact tracing and monitoring, measures that help prevent the virus from spreading beyond Kampala and into neighboring countries.
The United States has advised its citizens not to travel to Uganda because of the outbreak. Canada has urged its citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the country for 60 days, while the Bahamas has issued a similar advisory against unnecessary travel.
The United States has also restricted entry for foreign nationals arriving from Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan, citing concerns that all three countries face Ebola-related risks.
Dr. Atwine argued that Uganda is being penalized for its transparency in reporting the outbreak and sharing accurate public health information.
“As a country, we feel punished for being truthful. The more information we share, the more doors are closed to us. The more preventive measures we put in place, the more restrictions we face. We consider this unfair and are saddened by the way we are being treated,” she said.
The World Health Organization (WHO) maintains that border closures are not the most effective way to combat Ebola outbreaks and instead encourages countries to coordinate and strengthen public health measures to control the spread of the disease.
