The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kasese, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Security has been beefed up along the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo-DRC in Kasese District as cases of Coronavirus Disease continue to surge in the country, that is equally battling a fresh outbreak of Ebola.
So far, 215 people in DRC have tested positive to coronavirus disease since March 10, when the first case was reported. The country has also lost 20 people to the disease, according to records by the World Health Organisation-WHO.
There are fears that the growing numbers inside DRC pose a great threat to Uganda, especially the community in areas that share a common border. Uganda and DRC are separated by the narrow Lhubiriha river giving easy access to local communities to interact, yet still, about 70 per cent of the population in the area depend on cross border trade.
The Kasese District security committee together with the COVID-19 task force, have now reinforced the border security as a measure of controlling cross border movements. The team has pitched camp at the border since Thursday.
Lt Joel Walusimbi, the RDC of Kasese told URN that the reinforcement is aimed at closing many illegal routes that the communities have created to access both countries. Lt Walusimbi says the task force had initially resolved to quarantine all cargo drivers for 14-days once they arrive at the border.
Maj. George Jet the commander of the 305 UPDF Brigade told the team that the army has received addition forces to boost surveillance around the border point. He, however, reports that there is still a lack of cooperation from the DRC counterparts in regard to regulating border entrants.
The forces have since banned all shops and markets operating in Lhubiriha town. As a result of the restrictions, Abubarkar Muhindo, an online car dealer says he was also not allowed to take his car to a client in DRC. He says he had to stop at the border and call a friend in DRC to deliver the car, without any interaction between them.
As of 10 April 2020, there were 3,456 confirmed and probable cases of Ebola and 2,276 deaths. The latest case of the Ebola virus disease was confirmed in the city of Beni in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on Friday.
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