KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Ministry of Health has barred all contacts to Ebola patients taking from local and or international travel for the next 21 days. The announcement came in a press release dated Friday, October 28 issued by the ministry via its social channels.
“In line with International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) that require Uganda as a State Party to WHO to control the spread of infectious diseases to other nations, with minimal interruption to international trade and travel, the Ministry of Health working with the Officials from the respective Ports of Entry including Entebbe International Airport does NOT permit contacts to Ebola confirmed cases to travel locally or internationally until completion of the follow-up period of 21 days,” said Dr Olaro Charles in a statement on behalf of the Director General of Health Services.
Dr Olaro noted that the contact list will be regularly shared with the immigration and border control authorities, in compliance with IHR guidelines, to ensure that none of the individuals on the list is allowed to travel out of the country until discharged from the contact list.
In addition, he said, there will be temperature screening of all outbound passengers at all Ports of Entry including Entebbe International Airport.
The new measures follow the declaration of the Ebola outbreak in Uganda on the 20th of September 2022. The outbreak spread to Kyegegwa, Bunyangabu and Kagadi Districts out of the original epicentre in Mubende district.
Since then, transmission has been interrupted in these districts except in Mubende and Kassanda Districts. According to the Ministry of Health, currently, the transmission remains in Mubende and Kassanda districts where Government has restricted movements in the two districts for 21 days.
The ministry says three imported cases were registered in Kampala and Wakiso district, and have set up a sporadic secondary transmission.
In response to this, the Ministry of Health with support from partners has identified all the contacts, and the majority are under institutional quarantine at the Mulago Isolation Facility.
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