Uganda has closed its border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo for a period of four weeks as authorities intensify efforts to prevent the spread of an Ebola outbreak that has already crossed into the East African country.

The Ugandan government announced the closure on Wednesday, citing growing concerns over cross-border movements and the escalating Ebola situation in the eastern DRC.

According to figures released by the Ministry of Health in the DRC on Wednesday, a total of 121 Ebola cases had been confirmed as of Tuesday, including 17 deaths, with a further 1,077 suspected cases, including 238 deaths, across the provinces of Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu.

Uganda has reported seven confirmed cases, including one death. Authorities said three of the confirmed infections were linked to travel from the DRC, heightening fears of cross-border transmission.

In a press conference, the permanent secretary at Uganda's Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine, said the decision followed recommendations by the National Task Force on Ebola Response.

"Following the continued escalation in the scale of the Ebola outbreak in the DRC and the challenges associated with cross-border movements between the DRC and Uganda, leading to a higher risk of the spread of Ebola into Uganda, the National Task Force on Ebola Response has agreed on temporarily closing the border with the DRC with immediate effect," Atwine said.

Under the new measures, only authorized Ebola response teams, humanitarian operations, food and cargo transportation, and essential security personnel will be allowed to cross the border under strict health screening and monitoring protocols.

"All authorized entrants shall be subjected to strict health screening, completion of locator forms, documentation and continuous monitoring at all ports of entry in accordance with Ministry of Health surveillance protocols," Atwine added.

Authorities have also announced that any person returning from the DRC into Uganda will be required to undergo mandatory self-isolation for 21 days under the supervision of health officials and district surveillance teams.

The World Health Organization warned that the Ebola outbreak in the eastern DRC is being intensified by ongoing conflict and insecurity, particularly in Ituri province, where the outbreak is outpacing response efforts.

The agency called for an immediate ceasefire to allow humanitarian and medical teams safe access to affected communities, urging all parties to "prioritize human survival above everything else".

The WHO said continued clashes and mass displacement were disrupting contact tracing and pushing exposed populations into overcrowded camps, while attacks on health facilities were hampering response operations.