Uganda confirms three new cases of Ebola, bringing total to five

Uganda has confirmed three new cases of Ebola, bringing the country’s total to five since the outbreak was first discovered in the country on May 15.

"Three new cases of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) have been confirmed in the country," the country's health ministry said, naming the patients as a Ugandan driver, a Ugandan health worker and a woman from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicentre of a deadly outbreak sowing fear in the region.

"The ministry continues to strengthen surveillance, case management, contact tracing and public awareness efforts to contain the outbreak and protect the health and safety of all Ugandans," it said in a statement on X.

Controls are already in place at Uganda’s western border with the DRC and all public transport to the country has been suspended.

The Africa Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Africa) has warned of a high risk of spread to eastern African countries that border the DRC. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern.”

The WHO also confirmed that the virus involved is the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there’s currently no vaccine.

The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals, including fruit bats, porcupines and non-human primates, and then spreads in the human population through direct contact with the blood, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and with surfaces and materials contaminated with these fluids.