Ebola: Museveni imposes imposes partial lockdown in Uganda
Uganda President Yoweri Museveni has imposed a three-week lockdown in two districts in a bid to curb the spread of Ebola.
The disease has so far claimed 19 lives and the President in a televised address indicated that was the ‘best wat forward’ in a bid to arrest the problem.
He said: “Movements into and out of Mubende and Kasanda (districts) is prohibited.”
Uganda has registered 60 Ebola cases by October 15, 2022, with the first case registered in Mubende, some 150km away from the capital Kampala.
“There will be curfew in Mubende and Kasanda districts starting from 7pm to 6am. Public, private transport and boda bodas are not permitted to move in Mubende and Kasanda districts to curb Ebola,” he said.
All these measures shall start with immediate effect and will last 21 days:
1- Movements into and out of Mubende and Kassanda Districts is prohibited.
2- There will be Curfew in Mubende and Kassanda Districts from 7:00pm to 6:00am.https://t.co/SVdc7IM3yL pic.twitter.com/psdKQAjKKn— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) October 15, 2022
The Head of State clarified that people are allowed to move within and outside the districts after police clearance.
“Any cargo shall be dropped in this places during the day not beyond 5pm. If someone does so, he or she stay there for 21 days.”
“Anyone who sleeps in the Mubende and Kasanda shall remain there for 21 days. All seasonal markets suspended. The mines in the two districts shall remain open.”
Schools will also remain open during that period.
“All places of worship and entertainment in these districts should be closed. All burials should be conducted by the health workers whether someone died from Ebola or not.”
The government has deployed 20 ambulances from various districts and regional referral hospitals to the two districts for continuity of essential health services and 10 vans for transportation of health workers in the two districts.
Although Ebola is often fatal, at least 20 recoveries have been posted by health authorities in Uganda.
In a related development, Kenyan authorities say they have enhanced surveillance at the Malaba, Busia and Lwakhakha border points and are on the lookout for possible Ebola cases crossing from Uganda.
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