Since the end of October, the Ugandan capital has recorded 14 cases of the Ebola virus, which has already killed 49 people in the country, according to the government. A total of 130 cases have been confirmed. A development that worries the World Health Organization (WHO), in a context of high population density, especially since no vaccine exists against this so-called “Sudanese” strain of Ebola.
Uganda, in the grip of a new Ebola outbreak since the end of the summer, had bet on an end to the epidemic for the end of the year. Today, this objective seems very uncertain. On Wednesday, November 2, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed his concern after the appearance of the first cases in the Kampala region:
” The very fact that there are cases in a densely populated city highlights the very real risk of further transmission and the very urgent need for increased preparedness in neighboring districts and countries. »
14 cases had been announced in the capital by the Minister of Health, Ruth Jane Aceng, on October 24. Thursday, November 3, Henry Kyobe Bosa, national manager of Ebola incidents for the Ugandan Ministry of Health, announced, during a WHO online conference, the strengthening of controls. ” I can’t give a precise date (for an end to the epidemic, editor’s note) “, he admitted, before continuing:
” What we are currently doing is to extend and strengthen our system of screening and tracing contact cases, so that no one escapes surveillance, and to ensure that the population respects the advice of the government. »
” In addition, we try to bury in a safe and dignified manner anyone who has died due to the virus. In this regard, in the two districts at the epicenter of the disease, the government is carrying out the burial of all people who died of Ebola, including suspected cases, in order to ensure that there is no no risk of contamination. In the center, in Kampala, we remain vigilant against silent clusters added Henry Kyobe Bosa.
The researcher then concluded: We test all corpses for Ebola, before burial, across the country. We monitor all individuals. All these measures are therefore implemented simultaneously. I don’t see any expert on this panel who can predict when Ebola will be eradicated. »
Friday, November 4, the Ugandan President, Yoweri Museveni, again ruled out imposing a national lockdown as for Covid-19 to contain the spread of the virus. ” There will be NO CONTAINMENT. Therefore, people should go ahead and focus on their work without worrying “, he hammered on Twitter.
Regarding the Ebola situation, first of all, there will be NO LOCKDOWN. Therefore, people should go ahead and concentrate on their work without worry. However, we should be more vigilant and observe the SOPs put in place to control the Ebola spread.
— Yoweri K Museveni (@KagutaMuseveni) November 4, 2022
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