travel to uganda ebola

Watch CBS News

U.S. restarts airport screening for Ebola as outbreak in Uganda swells

By Alexander Tin

Updated on: October 6, 2022 / 7:06 PM EDT / CBS News

The Biden administration announced Thursday it plans to funnel all passengers flying into the U.S. from Uganda through five international airports for "enhanced screening," in response to a growing Ebola outbreak in Uganda. 

The move, which the State Department said would take effect at midnight on Friday morning, revives a set of measures implemented by federal health authorities in response to previous Ebola outbreaks abroad as recently as 2016 . In 2021, the CDC also rerouted passengers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Guinea to collect contact information.

Airlines will be required to route passengers who have been in Uganda during the past three weeks through one of five airports: 

• New York John F. Kennedy International Airport 
• Newark Liberty International Airport
• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport
• Chicago O'Hare International Airport
• Washington Dulles International Airport.

There, passengers will undergo "enhanced screening" measures designed to assess whether they have symptoms of the disease before they are allowed to continue on to their destinations. 

The change applies to all passengers, including U.S. citizens, the State Department said.

Experts say the move might deter travelers who feel sick after recently being in Uganda from trying to fly into the U.S. 

A previous attempt to conduct exit and entry screening for  Ebola , after  a case in 2014 , identified seven travelers with potential symptoms — none of whom were ultimately diagnosed with the disease. One traveler cleared by the screening later developed symptoms and tested positive for the virus  after arriving in the U.S.

Ebola infections typically start with symptoms like fever and fatigue, before leading to more severe vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding and often death. The World Health Organization says the virus can have an incubation period of as long as three weeks after exposure before symptoms begin.

This move comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ramped up warnings to doctors and health departments over the outbreak, urging them to immediately screen any suspected cases for their recent travel history. 

The CDC says the risk of the Ebola virus spreading in the U.S. is low. Cases in Uganda have not been spotted in either the country's capital or travel hub.

However, the CDC says "as a precaution" it is hoping to raise awareness about the virus given the swelling case count in Uganda. 

"While there are no direct flights from Uganda to the United States, travelers from or passing through affected areas in Uganda can enter the United States on flights connecting from other countries," the agency said in a health alert published on Thursday .

The Biden administration has touted its response to the outbreak, which includes CDC staff working with health officials on the ground in Uganda. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra spoke with his counterpart in Uganda on Tuesday , pledging to support the country's campaign to end the outbreak and expressing sympathy for those killed by the virus so far.

Since the outbreak was first declared on September 20 , the World Health Organization said this week that 63 cases of Ebola were confirmed or probable. At least 29 people have died. 

The strain of Ebola behind the outbreak is known as the Sudan virus, which spreads mostly through close contact with blood or other bodily fluids. 

The World Health Organization says the share of cases in previous outbreaks that died from their Sudan Ebola virus infections ranged between 41% and 100%. 

Unlike some other Ebola viruses, there are currently no licensed vaccines or treatments to curb the Sudan virus. Doses of the Ervebo vaccine in the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile are not expected to work for Sudan virus infections, the CDC said.

A vaccine candidate from Johnson & Johnson backed by the National Institutes of Health that might work against the Sudan virus is still in clinical trials. The WHO said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine "may be effective but has yet to be specifically tested against Ebola Sudan."

On the treatment front, the U.S. Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response on Tuesday announced it would pour some $110 million into accelerating development of a monoclonal antibody drug for Sudan virus from Mapp Biopharmaceutical.

"If approved this treatment will put the U.S. in a better position to prepare for and respond to future potential ebolavirus incidents. Given the current outbreak of Ebola Sudan in Uganda, this work is now even more important," said Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O'Connell in a statement.

Alexander Tin is a digital reporter for CBS News based in the Washington, D.C. bureau. He covers the Biden administration's public health agencies, including the federal response to infectious disease outbreaks like COVID-19.

More from CBS News

What airline passengers should know about their rights to get refunds

Bird flu outbreak is driving up egg prices — again

U.S. orders cow testing for bird flu after grocery milk tests positive

Windmill sails mysteriously fall off Paris' iconic Moulin Rouge cabaret

The U.S. will start screening passengers from Uganda for Ebola as the African country deals with an outbreak

WASHINGTON — The United States will begin screening travelers coming from Uganda for Ebola as an additional precaution aimed at trying to prevent an outbreak in the African country from spreading, the Biden administration said Thursday.

There have been no Ebola cases from the outbreak reported outside Uganda, and the risk in the U.S. is considered low. U.S. officials described the screening move as an additional precaution.

The screenings will begin rolling out immediately. Travelers who have been in Uganda at any point during the past 21 days, which is the incubation period for the virus, will be redirected to one of five U.S. airports for Ebola screening: Kennedy International Airport in New York, Washington Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The screening applies to any passenger who was in Uganda, including U.S. citizens. It involves a temperature and symptom check conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC will also collect contact information that will be shared with local health departments at the travelers’ destination.

The administration says about 145 people per day enter the U.S. from Uganda, with most already arriving at the five large airline hubs. Anyone scheduled to fly into a different airport will be rebooked by their airline, the administration said.

Also Thursday, the CDC sent a health alert to doctors, urging them to get a travel history from patients who have Ebola-like symptoms.

The Ebola virus disease is mainly spread through contact with blood and other bodily fluids of an infected person who is sick or died. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and sometimes bleeding. There are Ebola vaccines, but not for the Sudan strain causing the current outbreak.

This marks the sixth Ebola outbreak in Uganda, but this one has escalated quickly. As of Thursday, there have been 44 confirmed cases and 10 confirmed deaths since the first case was diagnosed Sept. 19.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Global Health

Travelers coming to the u.s. from uganda will face enhanced screening for ebola.

Halisia Hubbard

Doctors walk in the Ebola isolation section of Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, in Mubende, Uganda, on Sept. 29. Ugandan health officials have declared an Ebola outbreak in several regions of the country. Hajarah Nalwadda/AP hide caption

Doctors walk in the Ebola isolation section of Mubende Regional Referral Hospital, in Mubende, Uganda, on Sept. 29. Ugandan health officials have declared an Ebola outbreak in several regions of the country.

Ugandan health officials declared an Ebola outbreak in several regions in late September . Now, travelers who have been to the African country within 21 days of arriving in the U.S. will be subject to enhanced screening, according to a health alert issued Thursday by the U.S. Embassy in Uganda.

So far, cases from this outbreak have only been detected in Uganda.

Passengers from that country will be routed to one of five airports: New York's John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Chicago O'Hare International or Washington D.C.'s Dulles International. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection are adding new screening measures at the airports.

Guinea Faces First Ebola Outbreak In Years

Ebola virus disease, also referred to as EVD, is passed among humans through direct contact with an infected person's bodily fluids or objects and surfaces contaminated with such fluids.

According to the World Health Organization , the average fatality rate for Ebola is about 50%. The WHO says this outbreak appears to have been caused by Sudan virus, which it describes as a "severe, often fatal illness affecting humans." There are currently no approved vaccines or therapeutics for the Sudan ebolavirus.

The Congolese Doctor Who Discovered Ebola

The CDC recommends avoiding unnecessary travel to the affected districts in Uganda, and to avoid contact with sick people and dead bodies. Travelers should also isolate and seek medical help if any symptoms appear, such as fever, muscle pain, sore throat, diarrhea, weakness, vomiting, stomach pain, or unexplained bleeding or bruising.

clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

U.S. to redirect travelers from Uganda to five airports for Ebola screening

There are no known cases here and the government believes the risk to the public is low..

The United States will immediately begin redirecting travelers from Uganda to five U.S. airports to screen them for the Ebola virus and will follow up with them while they are in the country, a senior administration official said Thursday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will conduct a temperature check and risk assessment on anyone who has been in Uganda over the previous 21 days, the incubation time of the deadly Ebola virus, the official said. State and local public health officials will follow up with them for 21 days after their arrival, the official said.

The airports are: JFK International Airport in New York, Washington Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Most of the 145 people who arrive from Uganda each day already land at those airports. There are no direct flights from Uganda, where the outbreak began last month, to the United States.

Ebola Virus Disease is a rare and often deadly hemorrhagic illness that causes fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, loss of appetite and gastrointestinal symptoms as well as unexplained bleeding. Unlike covid-19, the virus is not transmitted through airborne droplets, but is highly contagious. It is spread through direct contact with bodily fluids, including blood, urine, feces, saliva or other secretions of a person who has symptoms or has died of the disease; infected animals or contaminated objects such as needles, according to the CDC.

There are no known cases in the United States, and the government believes the risk to the public here is low, according to the official. But the CDC told clinicians to be on the lookout for people with symptoms and to take a travel history from any patient who shows them.

Uganda is conducting exit screening for the virus, and other African countries in the region are also checking arrivals for symptoms of the virus.

Rebecca Katz, director of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University, agreed that the risk to the U.S. public is low and endorsed the government’s move to take preemptive measures.

“This is about putting solid surveillance practices in place,” she said. While the virus’s lengthy incubation period may make temperature checks minimally effective, she said, keeping tabs on anyone who has been to Uganda is a smart move.

Katz said the recent pandemic will probably temper the reaction to the Ebola news among some, but not all, of the public. “People are aware of infectious diseases. There is now a literacy around understanding the different types of transmission,” she said.

No cases of the new Sudan strain of the Ebola virus have been reported outside Uganda, where 44 confirmed cases, 10 confirmed deaths, and 20 probable deaths from the virus have been identified since the outbreak began in September, according to the CDC. This is the fifth outbreak of the Sudan strain of the virus in Uganda since 2000, the health agency said.

On Tuesday, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra spoke with Ugandan Health Minister Jane Aceng Ocero and pledged to continue U.S. support for Ugandan efforts against the virus, according to an HHS spokeswoman.

There is a vaccine for the Zaire strain of the virus , which caused two large outbreaks in Africa — in West Africa from 2014 to 2016, and in the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2018 to 2020 — that sickened tens of thousands of people. But a vaccine for the Sudan strain that is being developed has not yet been widely tested, and there are no treatments for the disease.

During the 2014 to 2016 epidemic that swept Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, 11 people were treated for Ebola in the United States , two of whom died, despite similar airport screenings. Nine of those cases were brought into the country and two others were health care workers infected while caring for a man who arrived with the disease. Both workers recovered.

A previous version of this article misspelled the name of Uganda Health Minister Jane Aceng Ocero. The article is corrected.

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

Uganda Ebola Outbreak, September 2022

On January 11, 2023, Uganda’s Ministry of Health declared the end of the Ebola outbreak (Sudan virus) that started in Mubende District and spread to other regions of the country. Visit the Ebola Outbreak  section for information on past Ebola outbreaks.

On September 20, 2022, the Ugandan Ministry of Health confirmed an outbreak of Ebola (Sudan virus) in Mubende District, in western Uganda. This announcement came after a patient with a suspected viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF) was identified and isolated at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital. A sample from the patient was sent to the VHF laboratory at the Uganda Virus Research Institute, where Ebola (Sudan strain) was confirmed. This marked the sixth Ebola outbreak in Uganda. Five of the six were caused by the species Sudan ebolavirus .

The outbreak spread to nine districts in Uganda (Mubende, Kyegegwa, Kassanda, Kagadi, Bunyangabu, Kampala, Wakiso, Masaka City, Jinja). Rapid Response Teams were deployed to support outbreak response activities, including investigation of unexplained deaths and contact tracing. CDC provided support in surveillance, epidemiology, laboratory, communication, and ecological investigations. The outbreak was declared over on January 11, 2023.

Uganda Ebola Outbreak 2022

Affected Areas (Data as of January 4, 2023)

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control

An agency of the European Union

• Media centre

Ebola outbreak in Uganda, as of 11 January 2023

On 11 January 2023, Uganda declared that the Ebola disease outbreak caused by the Sudan ebolavirus was over. The declaration was made after 42 days passed without any case reported, since the last case was released from care.

Overall, 142 confirmed cases of Sudan virus disease (SVD) were reported, of which 55 died (CFR: 39%), and 87 recovered. In addition, 22 deaths among probable cases were reported in individuals who died before samples could be taken (overall CFR: 47%). At least 19 healthcare workers were infected, of whom seven died.

Over 4000 contacts were followed up for 21 days ( WHO AFRO News ).

Overall, nine Ugandan districts were affected by this outbreak: Bunyangabu, Jinja, Kagadi, Kampala, Kassanda, Kyegegwa, Masaka, Mubende, and Wakiso.

On 20 September 2022, the Ministry of Health in Uganda, together with WHO AFRO, confirmed an outbreak of SVD in Mubende District, Uganda, after one fatal case was confirmed.  

The index case was a 24-year-old man, a resident of Ngabano village of the Madudu sub-county in Mubende District. The patient experienced high fever, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and began vomiting blood on 11 September 2022. Samples were collected on 17 September 2022 and SVD was laboratory-confirmed on 19 September. The patient died on the same day, five days after hospitalisation. 

This was the fifth SVD outbreak that occurred in Uganda.

Ebola cases in Uganda, 2022

Disclaimer: This figure is based on the latest available data from different public official sources. Updates are not always available on a daily basis. In addition, please note that there is a delay between the date of disease onset, the date of detection and the date of reporting, resulting in a reporting lag. This should be taken into consideration when interpreting these figures.

Geographical distribution of SVD cases in Uganda, 2022

Ebola virus disease outbreak in Uganda

More on this topic.

Ebola virus disease

Ebola and Marburg haemorrhagic fevers are rare diseases but have the potential to cause high death rates.

Infographics about Ebola virus disease

How does Ebola spread? Ebola - reducing the risk of transmission. View ECDC infographics

Update April 12, 2024

Information for u.s. citizens in the middle east.

• Travel Advisories |
• Contact Us |
• MyTravelGov |

Find U.S. Embassies & Consulates

Travel.state.gov, congressional liaison, special issuance agency, u.s. passports, international travel, intercountry adoption, international parental child abduction, records and authentications, popular links, travel advisories, mytravelgov, stay connected, legal resources, legal information, info for u.s. law enforcement, replace or certify documents.

Share this page:

Uganda Travel Advisory

Travel advisory december 28, 2023, uganda - level 3: reconsider travel.

Uganda Level 3 – Reconsider Travel C T O

Reissued with updates to terrorism information.

Reconsider travel to Uganda due to  crime, terrorism , and  anti-LGBTQI+ legislation . Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Country summary:  There remains a threat of  terrorist attacks  in Uganda and throughout the region. Numerous terrorist attacks have occurred in Uganda, to include religious venues, schools, and areas frequented by tourists, resulting in the deaths of Ugandans as well as foreign visitors.  U.S. citizens should remain alert and avoid large public gatherings. In October 2023, ISIS-Central Africa claimed responsibility for killing two international tourists and a Ugandan driver within Queen Elizabeth National Park.

Violent crime , such as armed robbery, home invasion, and sexual assault, presents a serious threat to those visiting and residing in Uganda and can occur at any time, especially in larger cities, including Kampala, Jinja and Entebbe, in the Karamoja region, and along Uganda’s western and northern borders. Local police may lack appropriate resources to respond effectively to serious crime in most areas.

The May 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act raises the  risk that LGBTQI+ persons, and those perceived to be LGBTQI+, could be prosecuted and subjected to life imprisonment or death based on provisions in the law , and may be subject to mandatory reporting to the police if they are suspected of committing or intending to commit acts in violation of the law, and could face harassment or attacks by vigilantes. Those perceived to support the dignity and human rights of LGBTQI+ persons (including those of youth under the age of 18) could be prosecuted and imprisoned for multi-year sentences.   Even an unsubstantiated accusation of supporting the LGBTQI+ community can create risks from police and vigilantes.  Read the country information page for additional information on travel to Uganda.

If you decide to travel to Uganda:

• Remain alert and avoid large public gatherings.
• Keep a low profile.
• Be aware of your surroundings.
• Do not display signs of wealth, such as expensive watches or jewelry.
• Use caution when walking or driving at night.
• Remain with a group of friends in public.
• Do not physically resist any robbery attempt.
• Do not open your door for people at your hotel/residence unless you know who it is.
• Do not leave food and drinks unattended in public, especially in local clubs.
• Stay alert in locations frequented by foreign tourists.
• Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs.
• Carry a copy of your passport and visa (if applicable) and secure originals in your hotel safe.
• Provide your itinerary to a family member or friend.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Be mindful that any public identification with the LGBTQI+ community, as either a member or supporter, could be grounds for prosecution, and that even private consensual same-sex relations are illegal.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Uganda.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations.  Review the Traveler’s Checklist.
• Visit the  CDC page  for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

Travel Advisory Levels

Assistance for u.s. citizens, search for travel advisories, external link.

You are about to leave travel.state.gov for an external website that is not maintained by the U.S. Department of State.

Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U.S. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.state.gov, click the "cancel" message.

You are about to visit:

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

‘Ebola Could Have Wiped Us All’: Slow Lockdown Haunts Uganda

The authorities hesitated to impose restrictions in the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak because of residual trauma from the Covid lockdown. Ebola then spread to the capital, killing dozens of Ugandans.

By Abdi Latif Dahir

Abdi Latif Dahir, The Times’s East Africa correspondent, accompanied by the photographer Esther Ruth Mbabazi, reported this article from Kampala, Uganda’s capital, and Kassanda District, one of the epicenters of the Ebola outbreak.

As an outbreak of Ebola swept through central Uganda in late September, government officials were willing to do anything to contain the virus except take one crucial step: impose a lockdown.

This was radically different from their response during the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, when Uganda introduced some of the most restrictive shutdowns in Africa by closing borders, banning public transportation and shutting schools for two years — one of the longest such shutdowns worldwide .

Officials in Uganda, a landlocked nation in East Africa, now acknowledge that they hesitated to impose similar restrictions in the recent Ebola outbreak because of the lingering anger, resentment and trauma over the strict Covid measures. They worried that another harsh response to an epidemic could spark protests, batter an economy already under strain and alienate a weary population inundated with misinformation about the dangers — and even the existence — of the Ebola virus.

The initial decision not to seal off the epicenter of the Ebola outbreak has come to haunt Uganda. The disease spread to nine districts, including the capital, Kampala. The World Health Organization reported 142 confirmed cases and 55 confirmed deaths, with an additional 22 deaths probably linked to the outbreak.

“We should have done it in a much more aggressive way,” said Henry Kyobe Bosa, an epidemiologist who is managing the Ebola response at the Ministry of Health. But he added, “Remember, we are coming from Covid, and you want not to disrupt people’s lives as much as possible.”

The outbreak, the country’s deadliest in over two decades , has now largely subsided, and no new Ebola infections have been reported recently. But those who were affected are asking whether all the pain could have been avoided.

Among those who died was 12-year-old Ssebiranda Isaiah Victor, whose relatives gathered on a recent overcast afternoon for a memorial service at Nakaziba, their village in the lush hills of central Uganda.

The family lived in Kampala, and the boy’s father, Ssekiranda Fred, said his son had contracted the virus from a neighbor’s child who arrived from Kassanda, one of the districts in the center of the outbreak.

Mr. Fred said that if the government had taken strict measures to curb the virus, “maybe things wouldn’t have turned out the way they turned out.”

“I miss you, my son,” he said. “He was so brilliant, a dreamer.”

Ebola, a highly contagious disease mostly seen in Africa, causes fever, fatigue and bleeding from the eyes and the nose. The virus kills about half of those it infects. The largest number of deaths, 11,325 people , was recorded during an outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to 2016. An epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018-20 killed 2,280 people .

In recent years, Uganda has suffered through multiple disease outbreaks, including measles, Marburg and polio, that have burdened its health system.

So when Covid-19 hit, the authorities introduced sweeping restrictions, which had devastating effects on the country’s 47 million people. Rights groups and opposition members argued that the measures were part of an effort to suppress dissent ahead of closely contested elections last year and the bloody months that followed .

Ugandan health officials said they were reluctant to issue another blanket lockdown when the Ebola virus was detected, despite recommendations from medical experts and aid groups that urged them to swiftly prevent movement to and from areas where cases appeared.

“This is a public health emergency of international concern, and the government kind of fell behind,” said a senior aid official involved in the emergency Ebola response, who like others, spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters. “They wanted to give the general impression that the outbreak is under control.”

Finally, on Oct. 15, almost a month after the first Ebola case was reported, President Yoweri Museveni announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew and the restriction of movement in and out of Mubende and Kassanda, the districts where the outbreak was concentrated.

By then, the virus had spread to the capital. People who had contact with Ebola patients from Mubende were evading quarantine . Mr. Museveni said in a speech that one contact concealed his identity and address to seek treatment from a traditional healer in a neighboring district. He later died in Kampala.

“They were really determined on no more lockdowns because they knew that public trust was not there,” said another senior Western health official with knowledge of the emergency response. But with the virus in Kampala, the official said, “they felt pushed into it.”

By then, the United States had issued an order to screen all travelers from Uganda arriving at American airports. Many tourists were also postponing or canceling their trips to Uganda, threatening a tourism industry that was betting on the upcoming holiday season to recover from the staggering losses of the pandemic , said Herbert Byaruhanga, president of the Uganda Tourism Association and the manager of a bird-watching company.

“It is like adding salt to the wound,” said Mr. Byaruhanga.

The Ugandan public’s lack of trust in the government’s Ebola response created fertile ground for misconceptions, including the belief that Ebola is caused by witchcraft and that the burials of Ebola victims are kept closed — not to prevent contagion, but so that their organs can be harvested and sold.

At a motorcycle taxi stop in Kassanda, almost a dozen people congregated on a recent evening to insist to reporters that Ebola did not exist. The lockdown, they said, was meant to punish the district for backing the opposition party led by the musician-turned-politician Bobi Wine in the 2021 elections. They also accused the police of beating them to enforce the overnight curfew.

“Where is Ebola?” Mutumba Alex, a taxi driver, asked. Waving his driver’s license, he said he knew the area well and did not see any proof of sickness or deaths from the disease. “Ebola does not exist.”

But the reality in Kassanda was different for Nantale Rashida, who said she faced stigma and discrimination from her neighbors when her husband, Asadu Matovu, tested positive for Ebola. Mr. Matovu recovered, but lost his mother and two brothers to the virus.

To prevent Ms. Rashida and her their children from going anywhere, the community “tied ropes around our plot,” she said. “I spent all day and night crying.”

Multiple corruption cases related to the coronavirus pandemic have also eroded citizens’ trust in their leaders.

The United States, which has donated more than $22 million to fight Ebola, has been concerned about corruption, too , said Natalie E. Brown, the American ambassador to Uganda. The vast majority of donations from the United States and other donors have gone through aid agencies rather than directly to the Health Ministry — a move that has incensed Ugandan officials, according to interviews with aid officials.

Corruption even struck at Ebola patients. A report prepared by health officials in Kassanda and seen by The New York Times noted that survivors of Ebola complained that the police had impounded their possessions and demanded bribes to release them.

Vaccines exist to prevent Ebola, but there is no approved vaccine or drug treatment for the Sudan strain of the virus, which caused the recent outbreak in Uganda. A clinical trial of three vaccines — made by the Washington-based Sabin Vaccine Institute, the University of Oxford and IAVI, donated by Merck, the American pharmaceutical company — is being prepared . Researchers have also begun a clinical trial of two monoclonal antibodies donated by the United States that can help boost patients’ chances of survival.

Some experts say, however, that with no new Ebola cases being reported in Uganda now, a critical opportunity to advance understanding of the Sudan Ebola strain might have been missed.

For now, families across Uganda are grieving for their loved ones.

Days after he lost his son to Ebola in mid-October, Mr. Fred’s wife of 22 years, Nakku Martha, succumbed to the virus. Mr. Fred was in isolation when both died, and he was unable to attend either of the burials. Even as he mourned, he said, he remained grateful that the virus did not take his three remaining sons.

“Ebola could have wiped us all,” he said, teary-eyed on a recent afternoon, as he walked around the tiled grave of his son, canopied by banana trees. “But we survived and remain hopeful.”

Musinguzi Blanshe contributed reporting from Kampala, Uganda.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly referred to one of the three vaccines being prepared for clinical trials against the Ebola outbreak in Uganda. It is the IAVI vaccine, donated by Merck, not the Merck vaccine, since Merck no longer holds the license to develop the vaccine.

How we handle corrections

Abdi Latif Dahir is the East Africa correspondent. He joined The Times in 2019 after covering East Africa for Quartz for three years. He lives in Nairobi, Kenya. More about Abdi Latif Dahir

You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site.

Ebola in Uganda

This notice has been removed.

For all current travel notices, please visit the  travel notices  page.

File Formats Help:

• Adobe PDF file
• Microsoft PowerPoint file
• Microsoft Word file
• Microsoft Excel file
• Audio/Video file
• Apple Quicktime file
• RealPlayer file
• Zip Archive file

Exit Notification / Disclaimer Policy

• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cannot attest to the accuracy of a non-federal website.
• Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by CDC or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.
• You will be subject to the destination website's privacy policy when you follow the link.
• CDC is not responsible for Section 508 compliance (accessibility) on other federal or private website.

Cookies on GOV.UK

We use some essential cookies to make this website work.

We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.

We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.

You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

Warnings and insurance

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office ( FCDO ) provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

Areas where FCDO advises against all but essential travel

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against FCDO advice.

Western Uganda

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to:

• the southern sector of Kibale Forest National Park and Kibale Forest Corridor Game Reserve up to and including the Fort Portal - Kamwenge / Fort Portal - Mbarara road the Park at Lake Nyabikere and exiting at Nkingo and extending to Lake George following the forest boundary
• Queen Elizabeth National Park
• the area immediately south-west of Kasese town – from the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC ) at Kyabikere extending eastwards up to and including the A109 road and southwards to Queen Elizabeth National Park
• Semuliki National Park

Find out more about why FCDO advises against travel .

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide and any specific travel advice that applies to you:

• women travellers
• disabled travellers
• LGBT+ travellers

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

Related content

Is this page useful.

• Yes this page is useful
• No this page is not useful

Help us improve GOV.UK

Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. We’ll send you a link to a feedback form. It will take only 2 minutes to fill in. Don’t worry we won’t send you spam or share your email address with anyone.

We’re sorry, this site is currently experiencing technical difficulties. Please try again in a few moments. Exception: request blocked

• Updated Terms of Use
• New Privacy Policy
• Your Privacy Choices
• Closed Caption Policy
• Accessibility Statement

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset . Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions . Legal Statement . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper .

Travelers entering US from Uganda to be screened for Ebola

Common ebola symptoms include fever, vomiting, and internal bleeding.

Excitement grows for Ebola drug's use in COVID-19 fight

FDA may authorize remdesivir for emergency use; insight from Fox News medical contributor Dr. Marc Siegel.

The Biden administration announced Thursday that travelers entering the United States from Uganda would be screened for Ebola as the disease spreads across the African country.

Currently, Ebola cases outside Uganda have not been reported; however, the disease is highly contagious and spreads through bodily fluids. Although the risk of Ebola spreading beyond Uganda to the U.S. is low, American health officials are worried due to the lack of approved vaccines or treatments for the virus.

Rochelle Walensky , the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, issued the directive for airport screenings. The State Department ensured additional measures for travelers from Uganda that will also apply to U.S. citizens. 

If an individual has traveled to Uganda within the last 21 days, then they will be redirected to five American airports for Ebola screening, including JFK International Airport, Washington-Dulles International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Chicago-O’Hare International Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. 

NEW EBOLA INFECTION IN EASTERN CONGO LINKED TO DEVASTATING 2018 OUTBREAK

The CDC issued a directive for all travelers to be screened from Uganda that are entering the United States.  ((Karsten Voigt/International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies via AP)

The CDC will conduct temperature and symptoms checks for each passenger as well as contact information verification. The agency will share the information with the local health departments when the travelers return to home.

The administration notes that approximately 145 people travel from Uganda to the U.S. per day, and therefore, the directive will begin rolling out immediately. If an individual is set to fly to a different airport, then their flights will be rebooked by the airline, according to the administration. 

WHITE HOUSE SLAMMED FOR BACKTRACKING AFTER BIDEN DECLARES PANDEMIC ‘OVER’: ‘AN ABSOLUTELY OBVIOUS TRUTH’  

While screenings have begun, travel restrictions will not go into effect until next week, according to the New York Times. Uganda currently has 44 confirmed cases of Ebola, with 10 deaths, making it one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in decades. 

Common symptoms of Ebola generally appear in the form of fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, and internal and external bleeding in certain cases. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Stay up-to-date on the biggest health and wellness news with our weekly recap.

You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!