21 days: Uganda forces returnees from Congo to pay for isolation

Uganda is forcing citizens returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo to pay for 21 days of isolation. The health ministry announced the measures on Sunday, stating that returnees will bear the full cost of quarantine. The government also banned travelers from DR Congo from transiting through Uganda.

The decision follows the death of a Kenyan businessman in Nairobi. He had passed through Entebbe International Airport on the same day as a Nigerian woman, who is the wife of a Swiss diplomat. Both tested positive for Ebola. The Kenyan man died two days after arriving in Nairobi. Kenya has since confirmed eight additional cases and the death of a relative of the businessman.

Uganda previously declared itself free of Ebola in August. It recorded 20 cases and two deaths early in the outbreak. Officials said they have monitored 60 people who had contact with the Kenyan patient in Uganda. All 60 have been discharged.

Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi said only essential travelers from DR Congo would be admitted. He described the incoming checks as "intense public health measures" to keep Uganda free of the disease. The ministry increased screening at Entebbe and all land border crossings. Extra checks are now in place at designated road checkpoints.

Diana Atwine, the health ministry's permanent secretary, said CCTV footage showed no physical interaction between the Kenyan businessman and the Nigerian woman. Earlier, officials said the woman only transited through Uganda. On Sunday, the ministry stated it is working with Nigeria to determine her full travel history and exposure routes.

The outbreak in DR Congo has killed more than 4,800 people since May. It is the deadliest in the country's history and has spread to other nations. Jean Kaseya, head of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, identified the Nigerian patient as having traveled to Kampala for a holiday.

The Bundibugyo species driving this outbreak is rare. There is no specific treatment or widely available vaccine, though trials are underway. Uganda shares a border with DR Congo where transmission continues, linking the countries through trade and family ties.