Uganda Ebola Cases rise to 15 as 6 New Infections Confirmed, All Linked to Known Contacts

Uganda’s Ministry of Health confirmed 6 new Ebola Bundibugyo cases on 2 June 2026, pushing the national total to 15 confirmed infections with 1 death.

All 6 new patients were already listed as contacts of earlier cases and were under 21-day monitoring, the Ministry said via its official X account. This means no new transmission chains have been identified outside known clusters.

“12 people are currently admitted to hospital, 2 have been discharged/recovered,” the Ministry posted. The single fatality remains the 59-year-old Congolese man who died in Kampala on 14 May — the index case that triggered the outbreak.

The jump from 9 to 15 cases comes as Uganda continues contact tracing around Kampala and Wakiso districts. At least 400 contacts have been identified since mid-May. Uganda closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo on 27 May, allowing only emergency, humanitarian, cargo, or security crossings with mandatory 21-day isolation.

The Bundibugyo strain has no approved vaccine or specific treatment. WHO shipped 200 doses of experimental monoclonal antibody therapy to Uganda on 1 June for compassionate use. Four of the first patients treated in DRC’s new Bunia treatment center recovered, including 4 health workers, WHO said.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, continues to visit Ituri province in DRC where 282 confirmed cases and 42 deaths have been recorded. The outbreak was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 17 May due to cross-border risk.

Health officials stress that early reporting of symptoms — fever, fatigue, muscle pain, vomiting, bleeding — remains critical. Community engagement teams are working with religious and local leaders in Kampala to promote safe burial practices and infection prevention.

Africa CDC and WHO say testing capacity for Bundibugyo has improved, but initial delays occurred because standard Ebola tests did not detect the strain. Confirmed cases now require specific Bundibugyo PCR testing.

With 12 patients hospitalized and 2 recovered, Uganda’s health system is under pressure but not overwhelmed. The next 7-10 days will be key: if no new chains emerge beyond known contacts, transmission could be contained. If not, case counts may rise further.