BY OKIDI PATRICK
Kampala | June 2, 2026
Uganda’s confirmed Ebola cases have risen to 15, with more than 600 people who had contact with patients now placed under tight surveillance, health officials have said.
The Ministry of Health confirmed the new figures on Monday, warning that the outbreak remains a serious public health threat as cases continue to emerge.
“Situation Under Control But Risk Remains”
“Eight patients are receiving medical care and are in stable condition,” a Health Ministry statement said. Health Ministry steps up surveillance amid fears of wider spread Seven of them are admitted to the main public hospital in Kampala, while one is being treated in the eastern district of Mbale.
So far, only one death has been recorded: a male nurse who died the day before the outbreak was declared on January 30.
Authorities say 265 people were being monitored under quarantine in February, but the number of contacts under follow-up has now risen to over 600 as tracing efforts intensify.
Kampala has a highly mobile population of about 4 million, and officials are still investigating the source of the outbreak. Tracing contacts is key to stemming the spread of Ebola, which manifests as a viral hemorrhagic fever.
The current outbreak is caused by the Sudan strain of Ebola. There are no approved vaccines for this strain, but authorities have launched a clinical study to test the safety and efficacy of a trial vaccine.
Regional Pressure Mounts
The rise in Uganda’s cases comes as the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo battles its own outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus, a rare Ebola strain. Congo has reported 134 confirmed cases, including 17 deaths.
The World Health Organization has declared the situation a public health emergency of international concern.
Uganda’s Health Ministry, says the country remains on high alert due to cross-border movement and trade. “At the grassroots level we have our community health extension workers and the VHTs who have been trained to act as surveillance officers,”
Public Urged to Observe SOPs
The Ministry has called on the public to avoid handshakes, maintain hand hygiene, and report suspected cases immediately. “Ebola spreads by contact when you contact each other physically,” President Museveni said in an earlier address.
Health officials report 16 admitted cases, 65 recoveries, and 4,147 contacts listed for follow-up in previous briefings. The last outbreak of Ebola in Uganda, which began in September 2022, killed at least 55 people.
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