Contacts of Ebola confirmed cases banned from domestic & international travels

The Ministry of Health has moved to ban the movement of individuals who have been in contact with Ebola confirmed cases. This is in an attempt to prevent the spread of the virus domestically and internationally.

In a press statement released Friday evening, the ministry said a contact list will regularly be shared with the immigration and border control authorities to ensure that none of the individuals on the list is allowed to travel out of the country until discharged from the contact list.

The ministry’s action is in line with the requirements of International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) that require Uganda a State Party to WHO to control the spread of infectious diseases to other nations with minimal interruption to international trade and travel.

Uganda declared the Ebola outbreak on 20th September 2022 after a case was registered at Mubende Regional Referral Hospital. The virus has since spread to the districts of Kyegegwa, Bunyangabu, Kagadi, Kassanda, Wakiso and Kampala, the capital city.

To curb the spread, the government instituted a 21-day lockdown and night curfew in the districts of Mubende and Kassanda districts which make up the epicentre.

The ministry says it has identified all the contacts with many now under institutional quarantine at the Mulago Isolation Facility in Kampala.