By Our Reporter
President Yoweri Museveni has said a lockdown following the outbreak of Ebola is not necessary, but asked Ugandans to remain vigilant and avoid body contact with another one.
The president was addressing Ugandans in a televised speech this evening (Wednesday).
This comes after Ebola infections have risen across districts in Uganda, bringing the cumulative number of confirmed and suspected deaths to 24.
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Museveni added that 5 people have died, dismissing claims in media of more deaths.
Uganda declared an Ebola outbreak last Tuesday after a case of the relatively rare Sudan strain was detected in the country’s Mubende district.
The virus has now spread to neighboring Kyegegwa and Kassanda districts, with the Ugandan Health Ministry reporting that cumulative cases had risen to 24, including confirmed and probable cases.
No cases have been detected in the capital city Kampala, the minister of health Jane Ruth Aceng said earlier.
The Ugandan Health Ministry considers a “probable case” as any person who died from suspected EVD (ebola) and had an epidemiological link to a confirmed case but was not tested and did not have lab confirmation.
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In his speech, Museveni said unlike Coronavirus, Ebola is not airborne.
“It only transmits through contact. Through body liquids such as urine, blood, saliva, faeces,” he said.
It’s for this reason that the president called for vigilance insisting that a lockdown was not an option.
He added that it also transmits through sex.
Uganda has experienced four Ebola outbreaks. The deadliest left more than 200 people dead in 2000.
According to the World Health Organization, vaccination against the rare Sudan strain hasn’t been tested for efficacy. However, the Ervebo (rVSV-ZEBOV) vaccine has been found to be effective in protecting against the Zaire variant of the Ebola virus.
