Uganda tightens Ebola prevention measures as cases hold at 19

KAMPALA, UGANDA | Xinhua | Uganda’s Ministry of Health on Wednesday announced additional Ebola prevention measures aimed at curbing the possible spread of the disease.

Speaking after Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni’s national address on the Ebola outbreak, Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi said Ebola prevention guidelines have been distributed to all districts bordering the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the epicenter of the current outbreak.

Baryomunsi said mass gatherings, including weddings and market days, have been suspended, while schools have been advised to strictly follow the Ministry of Health’s prevention guidelines.

According to the ministry, Uganda has not recorded any new Ebola cases in the past five days. The country has registered a cumulative total of 19 confirmed cases so far, including two deaths.

Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health, said recent observations indicate that the Ebola virus is more concentrated in the alimentary canal than in the blood once symptoms appear.

“We have seen that when people start getting symptoms, the virus is highly concentrated in the saliva, vomitus and the stool,” Atwine said, noting that the finding could help advance global knowledge on combating Ebola.

Atwine urged the public not to share cups or other drinking utensils, warning that the virus could spread through contaminated items. She also advised people to avoid eating cracked fruits during the fruit season, as it is difficult to determine whether animals may have partially consumed them. ■