KAMPALA, May 19 (Xinhua/GNA) — Uganda on Tuesday announced a series of measures to prevent the spread of Ebola, after two imported cases of the deadly disease were detected in the country.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health said in a statement that there had been no community transmission so far, but urged the public to strictly observe standard operating procedures to curb the spread of the disease.
It said organizers of all public gatherings must install thermal scanners to screen participants for fever. Anyone registering a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius must be isolated for further investigation.
District health officials must also be informed ahead of such gatherings, and organizers are required to designate a focal person to coordinate health and safety measures, the ministry noted, also requiring public transport operators to provide hand sanitizers, display Ebola prevention messages, and regularly clean and disinfect vehicles.
The ministry added that all burials involving suspected or confirmed Ebola victims must be conducted by trained teams.
Authorities have also intensified surveillance at border points with the neighboring eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where Ebola infections have recently increased.
According to local media, the Uganda-DRC border in Uganda’s Kanungu District has been temporarily closed following the outbreak. The closure affects the Ishasha and Kyeshero border points, the main official entry and exit routes between Kanungu District and the DRC.
Meanwhile, the Uganda Tourism Board said the country remains safe for tourism, despite the two imported Ebola cases from the DRC.
It said tourism activities, national parks, hotels, conference venues, and transport services are operating normally, noting that Uganda has extensive experience in handling Ebola outbreaks and other epidemics.
GNA