Uganda Introduces Lockdown To Stop Spread Of Ebola

In a bid to stop the spread of Ebola in Uganda, the president; Yoweri Museveni on Saturday ordered an immediate lockdown and imposition of an overnight curfew for three weeks in two districts.

Places of worship, markets, bars, entertainment centers, and restricted movement into and out of the two central districts of Mubende and Kassanda affected by Ebola for 21 days.

The measures aimed at curbing the spread of the disease will be introduced immediately in Mubende and Kassanda districts in central Uganda, the epicenter of the epidemic, he said in a televised national address.

“I now direct as follows: movements now into and out of Mubende and Kassanda districts are now prohibited. If you are in Mubende and Kassanda districts, stay there for 21 days,” said Museveni in a televised address on Saturday.

“These are temporary measures to control the spread of Ebola. We should all cooperate with authorities so we bring this outbreak to an end in the shortest possible time.”

The health ministry said 19 people have died since the east African nation announced the outbreak of the deadly hemorrhagic fever on September 20th. The outbreak is concentrated in the two affected districts and has not reached Kampala, the capital of 1.5 million, despite a husband and wife testing positive there, the authorities said.

The Ugandan president who has ruled Uganda since 1986, however, said cargo trucks will be allowed to enter and leave the two areas, but all other transport has been suspended.

Museveni had already ordered traditional healers to stop treating sick people and ordered police to arrest anyone suspected of having contracted the virus who refused to go into isolation.

Ebola is spread through bodily fluids, with common symptoms being fever, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhoea. Outbreaks are difficult to contain, especially in urban environments.

Uganda last recorded death from a previous Ebola outbreak was in 2019.