Uganda Bans Public Gatherings

Uganda has banned public gatherings in the Western district of Kasese following the spread of Ebola to the region this week.

Two fatalities and several more suspected cases were confirmed in the region after a family travelling from DRC to Uganda began to display symptoms of the diseases. Since the Ebola outbreak began in August 2018 it has infected more than 2,000 and resulted in around 1,400 fatalities. The recent cases in Uganda are the first recorded outside of the DRC during the current epidemic.

In addition to the measures restricting public gatherings the relatives of the two victims have been repatriated to the DRC for experimental and therapeutic treatment. Locals have been advised not to shake hands with one another and to make use of hand washing facilities put in place.

Earlier this week infectious disease specialist and director of the Wellcome Trust Jeremy Farrar described the current outbreak as “truly frightening.”

“There are now more deaths than any other Ebola outbreak in history, bar the West Africa Epidemic of 2013-16, and there can be no doubt that the situation could escalate towards those terrible levels,” Farrar commented.