Uganda: No Transit for Travelers Who Have Been in Congo, Paid Quarantine for Returnees Under Tighter Ebola Rules

October 26, 2026 — Uganda has tightened its Ebola border controls after new cases in Kenya and Nigeria were linked to travelers who passed through Entebbe. Anyone who has been in the Democratic Republic of Congo can no longer transit Uganda, and Ugandans coming home from Congo must pay for their own 21-day quarantine.

What changed

Uganda’s Health Ministry announced the measures on Sunday, October 25, according to the Associated Press. They build on border controls first introduced in May. An effective date was not stated (TBA).

• No transit: Travelers with a history of travel to Congo may not transit Uganda, including on charter flights.
• Quarantine: Ugandan citizens returning from Congo must quarantine for 21 days at their own expense.
• Returns: Non-essential Congolese travelers will be sent back through the nearest border crossing at their own cost; those entering illegally face prosecution.
• Screening for everyone: All arrivals — including diplomats and UN staff — must fill in a passenger locator form and go through health screening. Screening has been stepped up at Entebbe International Airport and land borders.

Why now

The Bundibugyo-strain Ebola outbreak in Congo has killed thousands, AP reports. Uganda itself has had no confirmed cases since declaring its own outbreak over on July 28. But according to the Africa CDC, Kenya’s first patient and a woman who later fell ill in Nigeria both passed through Entebbe on October 3. Uganda says all 60 contacts of the Kenyan patient finished 21 days of monitoring without symptoms; investigators are still working out how the Nigerian case was infected.

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What it means for airline travelers

• If you have been in Congo, do not route through Entebbe. You will be refused transit, and that is not something you can sort out at the gate.
• Everyone flying into Uganda should expect a locator form and health screening on arrival, which can add time — build that into any tight standby connection.
• Read the CDC and Public Health Agency of Canada notices for Ebola before you travel in the region, and speak to a travel-health provider about your plans.
• Check that your travel insurance covers quarantine costs and trip disruption linked to a declared outbreak.
• US citizens can enroll in STEP; Canadians can use Registration of Canadians Abroad.

Sources

• Associated Press via ClickOrlando — “Uganda tightens Ebola border controls and requires returnees from Congo to pay for quarantine” (Oct. 25, 2026): clickorlando.com
• US CDC — “Ebola Outbreak: Current Situation” (official): cdc.gov