The Associated Press reported on the 27th (local time) that Uganda fully closed its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) to stop the spread of Ebola.
Ugandan authorities ordered the closure of several hundred kilometers of border adjoining DR Congo that day and blocked passage. However, they decided to exceptionally allow passage only for certain emergencies, such as humanitarian purposes or security needs. During this period, anyone entering from DR Congo must undergo a mandatory 21-day quarantine.
The move is seen as a response to block suspected Ebola patients coming from DR Congo and prevent the spread of the virus.
In Uganda, seven people have tested positive for Ebola so far, including a DR Congo national who died in the capital Kampala on the 14th.
Cases of contact with suspected Ebola patients are also rising quickly. Ugandan medical staff were exposed to the virus while treating a suspected patient who crossed from DR Congo, and concerns about infection grew as contact continued with local residents afterward.
In particular, the measure runs counter to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation to refrain from border closures, underscoring the severity of the situation on the ground, according to some analyses. The WHO has warned that if borders are fully controlled, more people may use informal routes to avoid official quarantine, which could actually increase the risk of disease spread.
Even so, as Ebola spreads more seriously within DR Congo, the Ugandan government appears to have taken a hard-line response.
As of that day in DR Congo, suspected Ebola cases were nearing 1,000, and at least 220 suspected deaths had occurred. The cumulative number of confirmed cases was tallied at 101. The DR Congo Ministry of Health said it is conducting additional investigations into more than 3,000 people who may have been in contact with confirmed patients.
However, due to poor medical conditions, difficulties persist in confirming diagnoses, treating patients, and tracing contacts.
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a briefing the day before, "The speed of the Ebola spread is outpacing containment efforts."
Armed group threats also continue in eastern DR Congo. In the Masisi area of North Kivu Province, where Ebola has occurred, fighting continues between government forces and the M23 rebels, and there have been reports that medical facilities were attacked in the process.
The Associated Press reported that some local residents are reacting sensitively to outsiders entering and that there have even been cases of throwing stones or hurling insults at Ebola response personnel.
Director-General Ghebreyesus urged a cease-fire in eastern Congo, saying, "Attacks on health facilities make it virtually impossible to trace confirmed patients and their contacts."