NEW YORK – On Wednesday, U.S. health authorities issued a warning to Americans planning to travel to Uganda in light of an Ebola outbreak that has arisen in the region. They announced their ongoing support for Ugandan health officials as they work to tackle this emerging health threat.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a travel advisory that stops short of advising tourists to avoid Uganda entirely. Instead, the alert emphasizes the importance of taking precautions, such as steering clear of individuals exhibiting symptoms of the virus and avoiding healthcare facilities unless there is an urgent medical requirement.

Recently, Ugandan health officials confirmed the death of a nurse in the capital city of Kampala due to Ebola, marking the first fatality since the last outbreak concluded in early 2023. This situation has heightened concerns about the potential spread of the virus.

Representatives from the World Health Organization (WHO) have pointed out the extensive travel undertaken by the infected individual, who visited multiple medical establishments while showing symptoms, which raises the possibility of widespread transmission of the virus.

For the past 25 years, the CDC has been active in Uganda, assisting the country in enhancing its laboratory testing capabilities to identify dangerous pathogens. Currently, 114 CDC personnel are stationed in Uganda, and the agency has offered its aid to the Ugandan health ministry in areas such as contact tracing and infection control measures.

Efforts to contain outbreaks overseas before they reach the United States have been complicated by a recent directive suspending collaboration between the CDC and the WHO. Nevertheless, CDC officials announced on Wednesday that they have been authorized to engage in discussions with their WHO colleagues concerning response initiatives in Uganda, as well as in Tanzania and Congo, which are experiencing distinct disease outbreaks.