WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived in Uganda on Monday, June 8, 2026, to review the country’s response to an Ebola outbreak spreading from the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Ituri province [1, 2, 3]. The outbreak was officially declared on May 15, 2026, simultaneously in northeastern DRC and Uganda [1, 2, 3].
In DRC’s Ituri province, there have been between 515 and 544 confirmed Ebola cases, with the death toll ranging from 88 to 91 [1, 2, 3]. Uganda has reported 19 confirmed cases, including 14 individuals infected after crossing from the DRC and five Ugandan nationals, with two deaths so far [2].
To contain spread, Uganda closed its border with the DRC in late May 2026. This measure impacted local trade and the economy [2, 3]. Tedros praised Uganda’s prompt and capable response, saying, "Screening at the borders helped detect cases arriving from neighboring DRC, and the country's surveillance, testing and case management systems are doing steady work" [1, 2].
However, he urged reconsideration of the border closure, citing the negative economic effects and limited benefit of travel restrictions. "There is no need for restrictions since they affect the economy. Restrictions don’t really help… Addressing the epicentre is the solution," Tedros said [2, 3].
The current outbreak is driven by the rare Bundibugyo Ebola strain, which lacks any approved treatment or vaccine [3]. South Sudan, which borders both Uganda and DRC, has not reported cases but remains at high risk [3].
During his visit, Tedros met with Ugandan health officials to assess readiness and encourage cross-border coordination to control the virus’s spread. Dr. Diana Atwine said Tedros is "supporting efforts aimed at strengthening cross-border coordination to prevent further exportation of Ebola cases from Congo and to bring the outbreak to an end" [1, 2, 3].
The outbreak continues to evolve, with ongoing case detection in both countries. Efforts to manage surveillance, testing, and case care remain critical in the weeks ahead.
