Both patients travelled through the airport on October 3, 2026, according to Dr Wessam Mankoula, head of emergency preparedness and response at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).

“One of the issues we are currently investigating has been some sort of interaction between the two cases at the airport,” Mankoula said.

The investigation comes as health authorities work to contain an outbreak of Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease that began in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in May and has spread to several other countries.

Nigeria confirmed its first case of the outbreak on October 20, involving a Uganda-born woman married to a diplomat and based in Abuja. The patient had travelled to Uganda before returning to Nigeria in early October.

Nigeria’s Health Minister, Muhammad Ali Pate, said authorities had identified 44 contacts linked to the patient and were working to prevent further transmission.

“We are trying to contain it so it doesn’t go out to the communities. Hopefully, it won’t get to that, and we are working hard to ensure that,” Pate said.

Health authorities are still investigating where the Nigerian patient contracted the virus. While Uganda has been identified as part of her travel route, officials have not established the precise location of exposure.

Ugandan authorities have disputed suggestions that the woman contracted Ebola in their country, maintaining that she travelled to eastern DRC before transiting through Uganda. However, Africa CDC and the World Health Organization (WHO) said they had not received verified information confirming that she had visited DRC.

Kenya confirmed its first case on October 6 involving a man who had been living in DRC and travelled to Kenya through Uganda. He later died, and eight additional cases were reported in connection with the initial infection.

The possible airport connection between the Nigerian and Kenyan patients remains one of several scenarios under investigation as health agencies seek to reconstruct their movements and determine how the infections may be linked.

The outbreak has placed additional pressure on regional health systems, particularly in DRC, where thousands of infections have been recorded.

According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, DRC had reported 9,704 confirmed cases and 4,687 related deaths by October 21, 2026.

As the investigation continues, health authorities across the region are working to determine whether the two patients came into contact at Entebbe International Airport and to identify anyone who may have been exposed. The findings could help clarify how the virus crossed borders and guide efforts to prevent further spread of the outbreak.