Ebola: Uganda’s president restricts traffic to and from two districts hit by another wave of Ebola

Uganda’s president has restricted traffic in and out of two districts hit by another wave of Ebola as authorities in the UK and America urge travelers and health professionals to remain vigilant.

President Yoweri Museveni said he would impose a curfew to curb the spread of the deadly virus.

So far, 54 Ebola cases have been identified in Uganda this year. Of these known cases, 19 people have died.

One of the victims died in the country’s capital, Kampala, but the person is said to have contracted the virus in an affected district before fleeing.

Most cases have been reported in Mubende and known cases outside this region have an epidemiological link with Mubende.

Disturbing footage from a small village in Mubende shows Red Cross medics dressed in protective gear as they prepare to bury the remains of a three-year-old child suspected of dying of Ebola.

Villagers watched, huddled, while medics kept a safe distance wearing dangerous gear, face masks and gloves.

NHS staff have been urged to remain vigilant as the outbreak in the African country spreads rapidly.

Doctors should keep an eye out for possible symptoms of the highly contagious virus in people returning from the affected regions of Uganda, UKHSA bosses said.

Tell-tale signs of Ebola, which kill up to half of people who become infected, are fever, vomiting, bleeding from the orifices and diarrhea.

On average, the disease kills about half of those infected, usually within 14 days of the onset of symptoms.

The disease is highly contagious but spreads through direct contact with bodily fluids and is not airborne.

Hospitals and GP practices were also advised to ensure adequate infection prevention and control measures for the virus.

This includes having adequate personal protective equipment, such as masks, aprons and visors.

However, the UKHSA stressed that the risk to the public is ‘very low’. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates that about 15,000 people travel to Uganda every year.

No cases of the killer virus have yet been discovered in the UK.

But in a public health warning, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) urged medics to remain “vigilant” for potential cases. Trusts have been told to ensure they have adequate PPE.

The warning came when US authorities introduced airport screening for people arriving from Uganda, restricting their access to major travel hubs.

All travelers who have been to Uganda in the 21 days prior to landing in the US will be forwarded to one of the five airports.

Passengers receive temperature and risk assessment checks, as well as a visual symptom check. They will also be asked to confirm contact details and US state and local health departments will contact travelers three weeks after the date they left Uganda.

Doctors, if they suspect patients have Ebola, are urged to obtain patient travel histories.

There is an approved vaccine against Ebola, but it has not been proven to be effective against the latest strain, which originated in Sudan.

Some of the infrastructure in Uganda set up for Covid patients is rapidly being reused for the Ebola outbreak.

To fight the virus, Ugandan health authorities have set up emergency response teams, isolation centers and treatment tents around the central district of Mubende.