Uganda shuts Congo border to curb ebola but risks cutting off critical aid

Uganda has closed its border with the Democratic Republic of Congo in an attempt to halt the spread of ebola, but the move threatens to disrupt vital humanitarian aid and medical access for vulnerable populations, the Danish aid group Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (DanChurchAid) warned Thursday.

The border shutdown—implemented Wednesday—comes as Congo battles its third-largest ebola outbreak on record, with over 100 million people at risk. Jonas Nøddekær, the group’s secretary-general, told public broadcaster DR that road and border closures could block lifesaving assistance for pregnant women, young children, and internally displaced people in eastern Congo.

“When routes are cut off, aid can’t reach those who depend on it, and patients can’t get to hospitals,” Nøddekær said. “The most vulnerable face extreme risk—not just from ebola, but from losing access to essential support.”

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo ebola variant with a fatality rate up to 50%, has so far infected 101 confirmed cases, with roughly 900 suspected and 220 suspected deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Ten other African nations are at risk of spread, per the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

The EU and UNICEF dispatched 100 tons of emergency supplies to Congo earlier this week. Meanwhile, WHO has elevated its risk assessment for the outbreak from “high” to “very high.”

Mads Geisler, a physician with Læger Uden Grænser (Doctors Without Borders), noted that ebola’s early symptoms—fever, muscle pain, and headache—mimic common illnesses, making detection difficult. Since 1976, ebola has killed over 15,000 people across Africa.