Uganda's health ministry has flatly rejected claims by the US State Department that Washington is funding the establishment of up to 50 treatment clinics in Ebola-affected regions in the country.

The outbreak of the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever was declared in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last Friday and is suspected of having caused 139 deaths from around 600 probable cases.

Two cases have also been confirmed in neighbouring Uganda.

A spokesperson at the US State Department announced on Tuesday a pledge to fund 50 Ebola treatment units in outbreak areas in DR Congo and Uganda.

The clinics are meant to deliver medical care, life-saving humanitarian assistance and critical outbreak response capabilities, the spokesperson’s office said in a statement.

‘Not aware’

But Uganda's health ministry said on Wednesday it had not been engaged on the establishment of the treatment centres.

In a statement, the ministry said it was "not aware of where they may have been set up within the country".

“We continue to affirm that Uganda has so far registered only two imported Ebola cases: one fatality and one patient currently responding well to treatment under close medical care. There are no local infections and the country remains safe,” the statement said.

The United States has banned non-Americans who have been in the DRC, Uganda or South Sudan in the previous 21 days from visiting due to the outbreak.