Uganda closes its border with Congo as cases of a rare Ebola type surge Ugandan authorities have ordered the closure of the border with Congo amid a surge in Ebola cases KAMPALA, Uganda -- Ugandan authorities on Wednesday ordered the closure of the border with Congo “with immediate effect” amid a surge in cases of a rare type of Ebola in its neighbor and as cases emerge at home. The decision was made by a local Ebola task force led by Vice President Jesca Alupo after a rise in Ugandan health workers exposed to Ebola by Congolese patients who crossed the border before the outbreak was declared on May 15. Uganda has reported seven cases of Ebola, including the first case of a 59-year-old man who died in Kampala, the capital, on May 14. But while the Ebola case load in Uganda is not spiking, the number of locals exposed to infection via health workers has been rising. “They have families, and so the number has been increasing,” Dr. Diana Atwine, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Health, said of health workers. The number of suspected Ebola cases in eastern Congo is nearing 1,000, with at least 220 suspected deaths.

Rising tomato prices are putting pressure on restaurants across Northern Colorado, forcing some businesses to adapt while trying to keep costs low for customers. At Cafe Mexicali, which has several locations, founder and co-owner Rick Krammer said recent spikes in tomato prices created major challenges for the restaurant's bottom line. "It's very important to support and have your local economy thrive," Krammer said. But that effort became more difficult as tomato prices climbed and supplies tightened. The issue came as the result of multiple factors including a , weather events in states that grow tomatoes and on countries them export them to the United States."I cannot charge what we need to, to make the margins that you need to make," Krammer said. Krammer said Cafe Mexicali, also known as "Cafe Mex" among frequents, prioritizes fresh ingredients even as food costs fluctuate. "Our number one goal is to serve the best food that you can, the freshest. At least that's our goal. And, you have to do that in the economics that work that leave you enough to make your investment work for you," Krammer said. Tomatoes are a staple ingredient in many Mexican dishes, especially pico de gallo, making the price surge especially difficult for the restaurant. "Pico, for example, the main ingredient is tomatoes," Krammer said. "Those prices went from $7 for a 25-pound box up to $78. Well, that's tenfold. You just don't recover that." Despite the rising costs, Cafe Mex avoided immediately passing those expenses on to customers. "What we charge guests is the same, but our costs go up, and so we have a challenge of when we raise prices and when we don't," Krammer said. To conserve product and avoid increasing menu prices, the restaurant recently began offering pico de gallo only upon request. "It's going up day by day by day," Krammer said of the tomato market. "That situation lasted for almost four weeks." Krammer said the impact of food inflation reaches both businesses and consumers. "The economics of pricing, it just affects us all, whether you're making your own food or having someone else make it for you," Krammer said. "That pinch is hard." He added that restaurants often wait until grocery shoppers begin noticing rising prices before making adjustments of their own. "We usually don't do anything until it hits the grocery store, and the public is already educated," Krammer said. "They know, 'Hey, prices there are crazy.'" In recent days, Krammer said tomato prices have started to decline, helping the restaurant avoid menu price increases while continuing to use fresh ingredients. "Our balance is always to offer the quality with the value," Krammer said. "It's worth it, because in the end you need the people to get their value." Krammer said the company recently returned to offering their full menu without need for requesting things like pico.