Ebola Outbreak: Uganda Bans Handshakes

The Ebola outbreak has resurfaced in parts of Africa, including the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Other countries have responded with preventive measures. Uganda’s Ministry of Health has issued a ban on handshakes that could facilitate the transmission of the disease. In Uganda, two Ebola cases have been confirmed. According to Nile Post reporting on Tuesday 19 May, Uganda’s Ministry of Health continues to monitor the dynamics of the Ebola outbreak in the country. The government has taken the necessary steps to prevent the transmission of the Ebola outbreak. Two individuals infected with Ebola are known to be citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Sunday 17 May declared the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). WHO has designated the Bundibugyo Ebola virus outbreak in Congo and Uganda as a global health emergency after nearly 100 deaths in May 2026. WHO declared the Ebola outbreaks in Congo and Uganda as international health emergencies after cross-border spread began to be detected.