Uganda Closes Border with Congo Over Ebola – AP
Ugandan authorities have closed the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) due to the rapid spread of Ebola in the DRC.
This was reported by the Associated Press.
The restrictions take effect immediately. According to the latest data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the total number of potential cases of infection in the DRC is already approaching 1,000, of which 101 cases have been confirmed in laboratory tests. In addition, 220 deaths have been officially recorded in the DRC, which, according to preliminary medical findings, were caused by Ebola.
Within Uganda itself, medical services have also detected the first signs of the infection spreading. Currently, seven cases of Ebola have been confirmed in the country, one of which resulted in the patient’s death.
Earlier reports indicated that the 17th Ebola outbreak had been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has already claimed the lives of 80 people. This time, the disease was likely caused by the little-studied Bundibugyo ebolavirus strain, rather than the more common Zaire ebolavirus.
The situation with the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is rapidly deteriorating. The number of suspected cases has already exceeded 900, and medical workers are forced to operate amid armed conflict, attacks on hospitals, and a severe shortage of resources.
