Uganda has confirmed three new cases of Ebola as health authorities intensify efforts to contain the outbreak spreading across East and Central Africa. Meanwhile, three Red Cross volunteers in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have died after reportedly contracting the virus, raising fresh concerns over the worsening health crisis.
The outbreak has triggered growing international concern, with the World Health Organization (WHO) declaring the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever outbreak an international health emergency.
The African Union’s health agency, Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), warned on Saturday that the outbreak could spread beyond the DRC and Uganda, placing several African nations on high alert.
Africa CDC Director-General, Jean Kaseya, revealed that ten countries are currently considered at risk due to factors including cross-border movement and insecurity in the region.
The countries identified include Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia.
According to Kaseya, “high mobility and insecurity” are major factors accelerating the spread of the virus.
Uganda’s latest confirmed infections bring the country’s total cases to five since the outbreak was detected in both Uganda and the DRC on May 15. Authorities have so far recorded one death.
Health officials identified the new patients as a Ugandan truck driver, a Ugandan health worker and a Congolese woman. All three are currently alive and receiving care.
Ebola is a severe viral disease transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. The illness can trigger serious symptoms including internal bleeding, organ failure and, in severe cases, death.
The epicentre of the current outbreak remains eastern DRC, particularly Ituri Province, where the virus was first detected before spreading into South Kivu.
Health authorities in the DRC have recorded 82 confirmed cases and seven deaths, alongside nearly 750 suspected infections and 177 suspected deaths.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) also announced the deaths of three Congolese volunteers in Ituri Province.
According to the organization, the volunteers had participated in burial management activities on March 27 during a humanitarian mission unrelated to Ebola.
The IFRC explained that communities at the time were unaware that the outbreak was already circulating, describing the deceased volunteers as among the earliest identified victims of the outbreak.
On Friday, WHO raised the Ebola threat level in the DRC to “very high,” while classifying the regional risk across Central Africa as “high.” Global risk levels, however, remain low.
Health experts believe the virus may have been spreading undetected for some time before official confirmation. The outbreak is linked to the less common Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, which currently has no approved vaccine or treatment.
Earlier this week, Uganda suspended public transport routes connecting to the DRC after confirming its first Ebola-related cases involving Congolese nationals who had crossed the border.
Officials later revealed that the infected Ugandan driver had operated the vehicle used by one of the affected Congolese travellers, while the infected health worker contracted the virus while treating the patient.
The Congolese woman reportedly tested positive after returning home following a visit to Uganda.
Eastern DRC has struggled with decades of conflict involving numerous armed groups, creating severe challenges for healthcare operations and disease surveillance.
Large parts of Ituri continue to experience limited government presence, while areas of South Kivu remain under the control of the M23 armed group.
Speaking during a health briefing in Addis Ababa, Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba stressed the need for coordinated action, warning that controlling the outbreak requires complete territorial access and security.
“This is everyone’s problem,” he said, emphasizing the urgency of containing the virus before it spreads further across the region.
Uganda Confirms New Ebola Cases as Death Toll Rises, More African Countries Face Risk
