UGANDA’S Ministry of Health has said the country has no confirmed active Ebola cases, urging the public to remain calm as authorities investigate the travel history of a Nigerian woman reported to have tested positive for the virus in Abuja.
In a public statement issued on Tuesday by the country’s ministry of health, it said preliminary information indicated that the woman had travelled to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) for business and passed through Uganda in early October without showing symptoms.
“Travel through Uganda does not establish that infection occurred here. We wish to clarify that, as at the time of this statement, Uganda has NO confirmed active Ebola cases,” it said, adding that Nigeria had yet to provide detailed information about the woman’s travel itinerary and clinical history to support further investigations and contact tracing.
According to the ministry, the woman developed symptoms only after arriving in Nigeria, while investigations into where she may have contracted the virus remain ongoing.
The Ugandan government said it would strengthen screening and public health controls at points of entry, while maintaining limited provisions for humanitarian and diplomatic movements.
It also urged residents to remain vigilant, practice regular handwashing and use hand sanitiser.
The ICIR reported that Nigeria’s health authorities announced on Tuesday, that a woman who recently arrived from Uganda tested positive for Ebola following laboratory testing with contact tracing involving 44 people who might have been exposed to the patient.
Ebola is a severe viral disease that can cause fever, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in some cases, internal or external bleeding. It spreads through direct contact with the blood or other bodily fluids of an infected person who is symptomatic, or with contaminated materials. It is not generally spread through casual contact or simply by being in the same location as an infected person.
Health authorities have urged the public to rely on official updates, observe recommended hygiene measures and report suspected cases through established public health channels rather than spread unverified information.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.