Hoima District authorities have suspended operations of all markets located along the Uganda–Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) border as part of urgent measures to curb the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
The affected markets include Siba, Kigorobya, and Buseruka livestock markets, which are located in high-risk sub-counties of Buseruka and Greater Kigorobya near the border with eastern DRC, where the Ebola Bundibugyo strain is reportedly spreading at an alarming rate.
The suspension, which takes immediate effect, was announced by the Hoima District Ebola Taskforce chaired by Resident District Commissioner Rogers Mbabazi.
Authorities said the decision was prompted by increased cross-border movement, with traders and business people from the DRC frequently crossing into Uganda to conduct business in these markets, raising the risk of virus transmission.
He noted that the taskforce has also directed schools in the district to strictly observe standard operating procedures (SOPs), including screening, handwashing, and enforcement of safety guidelines with support from local health facilities.
Dr Isaiah Musinguzi, an epidemic specialist for the Western Region deployed by the World Health Organization (WHO), said Uganda currently has eight active Ebola cases, including one confirmed death.
He added that there are 573 confirmed contacts, of which only 71 have been successfully quarantined.
Dr Musinguzi further revealed that 30 people suspected to have come into contact with an Ebola patient linked to the latest outbreak are being traced in Kikuube District.
He warned that Kikuube, Hoima, and surrounding districts remain at high risk if prevention and control measures are not strictly enforced.
Earlier, authorities in Kikuube temporarily closed Uganda’s border with the DRC over the same outbreak. The closure affects Nsonga and Sebigoro border points along Lake Albert in Kyangwali and Kabwoya sub-counties, which are key crossing points between Uganda and eastern DRC.
The decision, taken by the District Security Committee and Ebola Taskforce, was described as a precautionary public health measure aimed at preventing further spread of the disease.
All movement of people through the two border points has been suspended until further notice, although cargo transport remains allowed.
Authorities have also intensified community sensitisation campaigns on Ebola prevention and symptoms, while surveillance and screening have been strengthened at landing sites and border points including Nsonga, Buhuka, Sebigoro, and Kyehoro.
Officials noted that traders and residents from Tchomia, Kasenyi, Gobu, and Mukambu in Bunia District, Ituri Province (eastern DRC), frequently cross into Kikuube, Hoima, and Kampala for business, often through porous border routes despite the ongoing outbreak.
The Ministry of Health has classified Uganda’s border districts as high-risk areas due to continuous cross-border movement and weak entry point controls.
Health experts say the current outbreak involves the Ebola Bundibugyo strain, one of the rare Ebola strains for which there is no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
Ebola Virus Disease is a severe and often fatal illness transmitted through direct contact with infected bodily fluids, contaminated surfaces, or infected animals such as bats and non-human primates. The disease is not contagious until symptoms appear, with an incubation period of two to 21 days.
Early symptoms include fever, weakness, headache, muscle pain, and sore throat, while severe cases may progress to vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and unexplained bleeding or bruising.
According to health experts, Ebola case fatality rates range between 25% and over 70%, depending on the strain and quality of medical care. Although there is no approved cure, early supportive treatment significantly improves survival chances.
The World Health Organization has classified the outbreak as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, calling for coordinated regional and international response efforts-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
