Uganda health ministry confirms six new cases of Ebola

KAMPALA/GENEVA — Uganda has confirmed six new cases of Ebola, bringing the country's total number of confirmed cases to 15, the health ministry announced Tuesday. The update comes as the United Nations migration agency warned that border closures could inadvertently increase the risk of the virus spreading.

According to a statement posted on the Ugandan health ministry’s X (formerly Twitter) account, the six new cases were individuals who had been in contact with previously confirmed patients. To date, the ministry reported two hospital discharges, 12 active hospitalizations, and one death.

Meanwhile, the U.N. International Organization for Migration (IOM) warned that closing the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) might push travelers toward unmonitored, informal crossing points. This shift, the agency cautioned, could accelerate the spread of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus strain.

Uganda recently closed its border with the DRC—the epicenter of the current outbreak—in an effort to contain the virus. However, the IOM noted that its tracking data shows people are still crossing between the countries. The agency emphasized that these findings underscore the need for coordinated regional strategies rather than isolated national border closures.

"The confirmation of cross-border transmission of the virus in the DRC and Uganda is a stark reminder that disease surveillance is only as strong as the weakest point along a shared border," Zoe Brennan, an IOM spokesperson, told reporters in Geneva.

Alan Kasujja, a spokesperson for the Ugandan government, defended the measures to Reuters, stating that the government's priority is protecting its citizens. While he acknowledged it was not unexpected for some individuals to bypass official checkpoints, he expressed confidence in local border communities.

"The communities along the borders are sensitized to the Ebola situation, and they will do everything to protect themselves," Kasujja said.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday, there are currently 321 confirmed cases and 116 suspected cases tied to the outbreak in the DRC.

-Reporting by Elias Biryabarema in Kampala and Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva; Writing by George Obulutsa; Editing by Sharon Singleton and Aidan Lewis for Reuters