Mirian Gom 
UGANDA – Uganda has asked Nigeria for detailed travel and clinical information about a Nigerian woman who tested positive for Ebola after travelling through the East African country, while insisting that it has no confirmed active cases.
In a statement issued in Kampala on Tuesday, 20 October 2026, Uganda’s Ministry of Health said the woman had travelled to the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for business before transiting through Uganda in early October.
Preliminary information indicated that she showed no symptoms while in Uganda but developed them after arriving in Nigeria, where laboratory testing subsequently confirmed the infection. “The location of exposure remains under investigation,” the ministry said.
Ugandan authorities stressed that the woman’s transit through the country did not establish that she contracted the virus there. The ministry said the Nigerian government had yet to provide detailed information about the woman’s travel itinerary and clinical history. It said the information would help officials assess possible exposure risks and determine whether further contact tracing was necessary.
The statement followed Nigeria’s confirmation of an imported Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory. Nigerian authorities said the patient had arrived on an international flight from Uganda and was admitted to a private hospital in the FCT, where she received care for several days before laboratory tests confirmed the infection.
The differing accounts highlight the need for further clarification of the woman’s journey and the circumstances surrounding her infection.
Nigeria identified Uganda as the woman’s immediate point of departure, while Uganda’s statement said she had travelled to the eastern DRC for business before passing through its territory. Neither account, as provided, establishes where the woman contracted the virus.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health said it would work with relevant agencies to strengthen screening and public health controls at points of entry.
Ebola can spread through direct contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person who has developed symptoms, as well as through contaminated materials. Early identification, isolation, contact tracing and strict infection prevention measures are important for limiting transmission.
About the Author
Korede Abdullah 
