Uganda on Thursday, 28 May assured international tourists that national parks and wildlife attractions across the country remain safe to visit, even as authorities simultaneously banned mass public gatherings to contain a confirmed Ebola outbreak. The twin measures signal a delicate balancing act: preserving a tourism-dependent economy while preventing a public health emergency from escalating.

Tourist Sites Declared Safe

Bashir Hangi, communications officer of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) — the state agency responsible for managing national parks — said robust preventive protocols are now in force across all game parks and tourist attraction centres.

'Our parks are safe. We are practising safe tourism. We have put in place SOPs (standard operating procedures) at our game parks and tourist attraction centres to protect the safety of our tourists,' Hangi said.

Specific measures include thermal temperature screening stations at park entrances, mandatory sanitisation, and the installation of handwashing facilities. Hangi acknowledged, however, that the outbreak has already dented visitor confidence. 'Some of them (tour companies) are telling us they are getting reschedules. People are not refusing to come, but are choosing to come at a later date,' he said.

Seven Confirmed Cases, Contacts Under Quarantine

According to the Uganda Ministry of Health, the country has recorded seven confirmed Ebola cases to date. All contacts linked to those cases are currently under quarantine. Ugandan authorities maintain the outbreak has been contained, noting that no new cases have been reported in recent days.

Notably, the outbreak in Uganda coincides with reported cases in neighbouring eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), prompting several countries to issue travel advisories against visits to Uganda. This cross-border dimension adds complexity to containment efforts and has heightened international scrutiny.

Ban on Mass Public Gatherings

In a circular issued late Wednesday, the Ministry of Health prohibited activities that attract large crowds. The banned events include music concerts, cultural festivals, public rallies, political mobilisation events, marathons, and cross-border marketing activities.

The ministry's statement explained the rationale: 'These activities increase risk by promoting close physical interaction, uncontrolled crowd mixing, and unnecessary movement, which may facilitate transmission of Ebola infection where an infected person is present.'

Official, institutional, and essential gatherings may still proceed, provided organisers strictly adhere to Ebola prevention SOPs. For any approved gathering, organisers must ensure controlled attendance to prevent overcrowding, enforce mandatory handwashing or use of alcohol-based sanitisers, conduct temperature screening at entry points, and designate a focal compliance officer.

Enforcement and Border Controls

Security agencies and district authorities have been directed to strictly enforce the measures, with particular focus on high-risk and border areas. The directive aims to limit non-essential movement and prevent further geographic spread of the disease.

This is not Uganda's first encounter with Ebola — the country has managed multiple outbreaks over the past two decades, giving its health infrastructure some institutional experience with containment protocols. Whether those protocols prove sufficient amid active cross-border transmission from the DRC will be closely watched by regional and global health bodies in the coming days.