Uganda confirms three new Ebola cases, raising total to five, as Kenya strengthens surveillance with enhanced border screening.

📻 Breaking It Down

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 23 — Uganda has confirmed three additional cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), raising the total number of infections to five, as health authorities intensify contact tracing and cross-border surveillance amid growing regional concern over mobility-linked transmission risks.

The Uganda Ministry of Health said on Saturday that the new infections include a Ugandan driver, a frontline health worker, and a Congolese woman who recently entered the country from the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“Three new cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have been confirmed in the country, bringing the total number of confirmed cases to five (5),” the Ministry said.

📌 What You Need to Know

Health officials indicated that two of the cases were detected through active contact tracing linked to the index patient, underscoring ongoing transmission chains within monitored contacts.

The Ugandan driver is believed to have been exposed while transporting the index patient, highlighting occupational exposure risks among informal and transport sector workers frequently moving between high-risk zones.

The second case involves a frontline health worker who was exposed while caring for the country’s first confirmed Ebola patient, reinforcing long-standing concerns over infection prevention and control gaps in clinical settings during early outbreak stages.

“The two cases were identified from known contacts under follow up,” the Ministry noted.

The third case is a Congolese woman who had recently travelled from the Democratic Republic of the Congo while experiencing mild abdominal symptoms.

Charles Olaro, Director Gneral of Health Services, said she moved through Arua to Entebbe via a chartered flight before seeking treatment at a private hospital in Kampala on May 10, 2026.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya