KAMPALA: President Museveni has ordered a 21-day curfew on two central Uganda districts of Mubende and Kassanda in order to contain an Ebola epidemic that has already claimed the lives of 19 people in the country.
“Movements into and out of Mubende and Kassanda are restricted,” President Museveni said in his third Ebola-related television speech.
Since the first confirmed case of Ebola in Mubende on September 23, the number of reported cases has risen within Uganda, and President Museveni attributing part of the increase to the widespread use of public transport. As of October 15, there were approximately 60 reported cases.
“From 7 p.m. until 6 a.m., there will be a curfew in Mubende and Kasanda areas.” “To combat Ebola, public, private, and Boda Bodas are banned in Mubende and Kasanda districts,” he stated.
“People travelling via Mubende and Kassanda are authorized to move after police clearance and are not permitted to stop or pick up a person in the two districts,” President Museveni explained.
SPECIAL MEASURES TO CONTAIN EBOLA
- Curfew in Mubende and Kassanda districts 7:00pm to 6:am
- No movement to or from Kassanda and Mubende district
- Movement of persons within the respective districts of Kassanda and Mubende district is only allowed during day
- Public transport including boda bodas are not permitted to move in the two districts both day and night
- Only cargo vehicles, MoH vehicles and authorize government vehicles including security will be allowed to move in the two districts, but not to transport people
- Transit vehicle crossing through Mubende and Kassanda district are permitted to move but should not stop to load or off load.
- All cargo shall be delivered only during the day (up to 5pm). No sleeping there .
- No cargo is allowed out of Mubende and Kassanda districts except by cargo truck which brings in cargo
- Mines in Kasanda and Mubende will remain open for people within those districts
- Open markets are suspended
- Schools to remain open . Temperatures to be recorded daily
- All absence from school should immediately be reported to the Health response team
- All children, teacher and members of staff who have had contact with affected person should stay home
- All places of Worship should remain closed in the two districts
- All bars, places of entertainment, gyms and saunas to be closed
- All burials whether Ebola or not shall be conducted by health burial teams and samples shall be picked from them
- MoH must intensify surveillance in the two districts
- Enforce hand washing in all public places.
- Health workers with vehicles shall be issued permits by RDC to enable them move within the districts.
- All health facilities private and public within these districts will be supplied with PPEs.
- MoH will secure 20 ambulances and deploy them in the two districts.
