No active Ebola cases in Uganda despite Nigeria infection alert

Uganda is seeking more information from Nigerian health authorities to establish whether any follow-up measures are needed after a woman who travelled through the country tested positive for Ebola in Nigeria, with officials insisting that there are no confirmed active cases within Uganda.

In an update released on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Uganda’s Ministry of Health said the woman had visited the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for business and passed through Uganda in early October. She reportedly showed no symptoms during her transit but became ill after reaching Nigeria, where the infection was later confirmed through laboratory testing.

The ministry said investigations were still needed to establish where the woman contracted the disease, warning against drawing conclusions based solely on her movement through Uganda.

“The Ministry of Health has noted reports of a confirmed Ebola case in Nigeria involving a Nigerian woman who travelled to the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo for business. Preliminary information indicates that she transited through Uganda in early October without symptoms and developed symptoms after arriving in Nigeria,” the statement read in part.

Ugandan officials stressed that a person’s passage through the country does not automatically mean that exposure to the virus happened there.

“Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here,” the ministry said.

Uganda’s Director General of Health Services, Prof. Charles Olaro, said authorities were waiting for Nigerian officials to provide a detailed account of the woman’s journey and clinical history. The information will help Uganda assess the situation and decide whether further investigations or contact tracing are required.

As part of its response, the Ministry of Health said it would work with relevant agencies to reinforce screening and public health measures at the country’s points of entry.

The ministry also called on residents to remain calm while following developments, urging them to practise regular handwashing and use sanitiser as health authorities continue to monitor the situation.

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

Abuja case triggers contact tracing

Nigeria’s health authorities have confirmed one Ebola infection in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, and launched emergency public health measures that include tracing 44 people who may have come into contact with the patient.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare announced the case on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, after laboratory tests confirmed the infection in a woman who had recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda.

The patient had been admitted to a private hospital in Abuja, where she received treatment for several days before the diagnosis was established. She has since been isolated and is receiving medical care as authorities work to prevent further spread of the disease.

“The patient, a woman who recently arrived in Nigeria on an international flight from Uganda, was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received care for several days before the diagnosis was confirmed. She is currently in isolation and receiving medical care,” part of the statement read.

The identification of 44 contacts is among the measures being taken by Nigerian officials following the confirmation. The exercise is intended to help health teams determine who may have been exposed and assess the possibility of further transmission.

The woman’s journey has drawn attention to the movement of travellers between the DRC, Uganda and Nigeria. However, Uganda’s health ministry has maintained that the available details do not show where she acquired the infection.

Ugandan officials are therefore seeking additional information from their Nigerian counterparts before determining what further action may be necessary within the country.

The developments follow Kenya’s announcement of its first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale.

Duale said the patient, a Kenyan citizen, had travelled from the DRC through Uganda before taking a flight to Nairobi. The patient arrived at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) on Saturday, October 3, at about 1:00 pm.

“The Ministry of Health wishes to inform members of the public that it has confirmed the first imported case of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease,” Duale said.

The patient had spent seven years living and working in the DRC and had fallen ill about a month before arriving in Kenya. During that period, he had sought treatment at several hospitals in the DRC before travelling to Uganda and continuing his journey to Nairobi.

According to Duale, the patient travelled overland from the DRC to Kampala before boarding a Jambojet flight to the Kenyan capital.

“He travelled from DRC to Kampala by road, then boarded Jambojet flight number 8523 and arrived in Nairobi on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at 1:00 pm,” Duale said.

When he announced the case at Afya House in Nairobi on October 6, Duale also confirmed that the patient had died.

The cases reported in Nigeria and Kenya have brought attention to the importance of tracking travel histories, identifying possible contacts and maintaining public health safeguards as investigations into confirmed infections continue.

Uganda has maintained that it has no confirmed active Ebola cases as of its latest statement. Its health authorities are awaiting further details from Nigeria to establish the woman’s movements and determine whether additional public health action is needed.