Uganda is free from Ebola- WHO, Gov’t confirms

The World health organisation (WHO), has confirmed that Uganda has not registered any new case of Ebola Virus disease (EVD) in Kasese or any other part of the country.

In June, Ministry of Health and WHO confirmed one case of Ebola outbreak in the East African country ten months after the case was reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The confirmed case is a 5-year-old Congolese child who traveled from the DRC with his family on 9th June 2019. The child and his family entered the country through Bwera Border post and sought medical care

A according to a joint statement released by WHO representative in Uganda Yonas Tegegn and the minister for health Jane Ruth Aceng, by yesterday, all people who directly or indirectly came into contact with the confirmed Ebola patients, completed the mandatory 21 days circle of follow-up without  developing and signs and symptoms of the disease.

“Currently, there are no people under follow-up which means that EVD transmission in Kasese has been effectively interrupted by country’s disease mechanisms.” Reads in part of the statement

Alluding to international health relations 2005, they confirmed that movement of people from one place to another with the country and between countries is not restricted during disease outbreak. “Therefore ministry of health retaliates that Uganda is safe and all national and international travelers are free to travel to and with Uganda,” they said in the statement.

According to health minister, they have strengthened efforts for detection of any possible importation of Ebola virus into the country.

The minister, said all travelers from democratic republic of Congo (DRC) are screened at health desk at Entebbe airport and other boarder entry points. Screening is mainly for all travelers who have had not less than 21 hours of travel in Congo.

“At the airport, travelers are required to complete a screening form. An information leaflet about Ebola and contact numbers of surveillance officers are given to non-symptomatic passengers. A private medical center in the airport has been equipped to provide counselling and clinical screening of all suspects and a stand by ambulance with appropriated protective gear has been provided by civil aviation authority (CAA) and is available all the time” she said

“We confirm that all places of economic and social integration in Uganda such as national parks and tourist sites are open and accessible to the public.”

They appealed to the public and international travelers to Uganda to always seek information about Ebola from government officials to avoid being misinformed