The Kanungu District Ebola Task Force has closed the Ishasha and Kyeshero border posts following an outbreak of the Bundibugyo Ebola strain in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The closure comes after Uganda confirmed two imported Ebola cases in Kampala on May 15 and May 16, 2026. The cases are linked to an outbreak first detected in the DRC in late April 2026.
Speaking to Nile Post, Kanungu District Task Force Chairperson Ambrose Amanyire Mwesigye said no Ebola cases had been reported along the border. However, he noted that movement of people crossing into and out of Uganda through the affected border points had been suspended as a precautionary measure.
“We are responding to a threat. There has been no detection of Ebola on our border lines, but with reports of the outbreak in neighboring DRC, we are taking precautionary measures to ensure it does not reach our territory,” Mwesigye said.
He explained that the task force had launched public awareness campaigns across the district and heightened surveillance at border points to control the movement of people entering Uganda from the DRC.
“We have restricted anyone from the DRC until the situation is managed,” Mwesigye added.
According to district officials, emergency response plans have already been activated with support from health stakeholders and local authorities.
In neighboring Kisoro District, Resident District Commissioner Hajji Badru Sebyala said he would convene the district Ebola task force committee this week to assess the threat posed by the outbreak.
The committee is expected to determine whether to halt cross-border movement at the Busanza-Kitagoma and Bunagana border posts as part of broader efforts to protect communities from possible transmission.
Health authorities continue to urge the public to remain vigilant, observe preventive measures and report suspected Ebola symptoms to nearby health facilities as Uganda intensifies monitoring along border districts.
