There is heavy deployment in Mubende and Kassanda districts as the areas start enforcing a 21-day lockdown, which was announced as one of the measures to control the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease.
According to directives issued last night by President Yoweri Museveni, movement in the two districts will be restricted over the next three weeks. This implies that there will be no movement from anywhere to the two districts or from the two districts to other parts of the country. Movement from Mubende to Kassanda is also prohibited, and vice versa.
The president also instituted a nighttime curfew, suspending movement between 7 pm and 6 am as well as the movement of public and private transport vehicles except for cargo vehicles delivering supplies, Ministry of Health vehicles, authorized government vehicles, and security vehicles. These vehicles are also barred from carrying passengers.
The authorities in the two districts have now deployed security teams on all major roads connecting with other districts as well as inter-routes. In Mubende, security personnel have taken over the streets and erected roadblocks on all major outlets, and authorities there told URN in a telephone interview that an urgent meeting has been convened to strategize on how to effectively enforce the lockdown.
In the Kassanda District, the Resident District Commissioner, Phoebe Namulindwa, said that they have already deployed police personnel on all transit routes to restrict the movement of people. She said that they have also asked for reinforcement from other districts to ensure that the restrictions are followed.
Namulindwa added that they are working with local council leaders and Village Health Teams (VHTs) to be on the lookout for new people in their respective areas and report them. She added that the LCs are working with security personnel to restrict the movement of people.
Although mines were not restricted, the authorities will be working with the proprietors to strengthen the implementation of presidential directives within the areas.
Namulindwa said that arrangements and consultations are underway on how to help sick and pregnant mothers easily access health facilities without any disruption. She adds that they have sent out a communication to the people whose ailments are managed from outside the district to register with their local council leaders to be provided with travel permits.
According to the Health Ministry, the Ebola outbreak has since been confirmed in the districts of Mubende, Kyegegwa, Kassanda, Kagadi, and Bunyangabu, with 58 total confirmed cases and 19 deaths. The ministry of health said that 20 people have recovered from Ebola.
