Ugandan citizens returning to the country with a history of travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo will be quarantined for 21 days, Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi said on Sunday, as Uganda tightened Ebola precautions despite saying it remained Ebola-free.

Screening stepped up at borders

The ministry has intensified traveller screening at Entebbe International Airport and all land border crossings, Baryomunsi said. All travellers intending to enter Uganda by air, land or water must complete the passenger locator form. Uganda borders Congo, where the current Ebola outbreak began, and has previously battled Ebola outbreaks of its own.

Baryomunsi also said all 60 contacts linked to a Kenyan Ebola case had completed their 21-day monitoring period and been discharged. The contacts were traced across points of entry and exit, hotels and transport operators linked to travellers' movements through Uganda.

The Nigerian case under investigation

Uganda has been investigating a Nigerian Ebola case involving a woman who had travelled from Uganda. Officials said they were reviewing genomic sequencing, travel information, interactions and movements in coordination with Nigerian authorities and international partners.

Genomic analysis of Nigeria's only confirmed Ebola case showed the virus was closely related to the strain detected in Kenya's index case, Reuters reported, though Nigerian authorities said there was no evidence that the Kenya case travelled to Nigeria or had a direct connection. The careful wording matters: a genetic link between two cases is not the same as proof of a transmission chain, and officials have not claimed one.