Uganda makes returnees from Congo pay for their own three-week isolation

Ugandan citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo now face a direct financial burden to prevent the spread of Ebola. The government announced on Sunday that all returnees must undergo a 21-day isolation period at their own expense. This requirement applies to anyone arriving from DR Congo, and travelers from the region are also prohibited from using Uganda as a transit point.

The health ministry detailed these measures on Sunday, citing a need to secure the nation's borders. Officials stated that screening procedures have been intensified at Entebbe International Airport and all land crossings. Additional checks are now in place at specific road checkpoints to monitor movement.

Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi explained the decision to the BBC's Newsday programme. He stated that only essential travelers from DR Congo will be admitted and that they will face intense public health measures. Baryomunsi said the goal is to ensure Uganda remains free of the virus.

These controls follow a spike in cases in neighboring countries. In DR Congo, the outbreak has killed more than 4,800 people since May. It is the deadliest outbreak recorded in that nation and has spread to several other countries. Recently, two individuals tested positive in Kenya and Nigeria after passing through Entebbe airport on the same day.

Uganda recorded 20 cases and two deaths early in the outbreak but was declared free of the disease by the World Health Organization in August. The ministry said it is currently working with Nigeria to map the full travel history of a Ugandan-born woman who tested positive in Nigeria. She is the wife of a Swiss diplomat and had been on holiday in Kampala.

A Kenyan businessman who arrived from DR Congo died two days after landing in Nairobi. Kenya has since confirmed eight other cases, including the death of a relative over the weekend. The health ministry reported that 60 people in Uganda who had contact with the Kenyan patient have all been discharged from monitoring.

Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, provided details on the Nigerian case. The health ministry's permanent secretary, Diana Atwine, noted that CCTV footage showed no physical interaction between the two positive cases. Uganda shares a border with DR Congo, where transmission continues, and communities maintain close ties through trade and family.

Ugandan officials had previously said the Nigerian case only transited through the country. On Sunday, the ministry announced that Uganda and Nigeria are jointly investigating her movements and possible exposure routes. Baryomunsi emphasized that the country must remain vigilant given the ongoing risk.