Current:Home > ScamsUganda has locked down two districts in a bid to stem the spread of Ebola-InfoLens
Uganda has locked down two districts in a bid to stem the spread of Ebola
View Date:2024-12-23 11:15:58
KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandan authorities on Saturday imposed a travel lockdown on two Ebola-hit districts as part of efforts to stop the spread of the contagious disease.
The measures announced by President Yoweri Museveni mean residents of the central Ugandan districts of Mubende and Kassanda can't travel into or out of those areas by private or public means. Cargo vehicles and others transiting from Kampala, the capital, to southwestern Uganda are still allowed to operate, he said.
All entertainment places, including bars, as well as places of worship are ordered closed, and all burials in those districts must be supervised by health officials, he said. A nighttime curfew also has been imposed. The restrictions will last at least 21 days.
"These are temporary measures to control the spread of Ebola," Museveni said.
Ebola has infected 58 people in the East African country since Sept. 20, when authorities declared an outbreak. At least 19 people have died, including four health workers. Ugandan authorities were not quick in detecting the outbreak, which began infecting people in a farming community in August as the "strange illness" described by local authorities.
The new measures come amid concern that some patients in the Ebola hot spots could surreptitiously try to seek treatment elsewhere — as did one man who fled Mubende and died at a hospital in Kampala earlier this month, rattling health officials.
Ugandan authorities have documented more than 1,100 contacts of known Ebola patients, according to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Sudan strain of Ebola, for which there is no proven vaccine, is circulating in the country of 45 million people.
Ebola, which manifests as a viral hemorrhagic fever, can be difficult to detect at first because fever is also a symptom of malaria.
Ebola is spread through contact with bodily fluids of an infected person or contaminated materials. Symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain and at times internal and external bleeding.
Ebola first appeared in 1976 in two simultaneous outbreaks in South Sudan and Congo, where it occurred in a village near the Ebola River after which the disease is named.
veryGood! (1822)
Related
- Veterans face challenges starting small businesses but there are plenty of resources to help
- Kansas City to hire 2 overdose investigators in face of rising fentanyl deaths
- Hidden demon face lurking in 1789 painting uncovered by restorers
- What Britney Spears' book taught me about resilience and self love
- Pistons' Ausar Thompson cleared to play after missing 8 months with blood clot
- A Marine veteran says the contradictions of war can make you feel insane
- Could creativity transform medicine? These artists think so
- 2024 Grammy nomination snubs and surprises: No K-pop, little country and regional Mexican music
- Catholic bishops urged to boldly share church teachings — even unpopular ones
- Aldi can be a saver's paradise: Here's how to make the most of deals in every aisle
Ranking
- Louisville officials mourn victims of 'unthinkable' plant explosion amid investigation
- SpaceX launches its 29th cargo flight to the International Space Station
- Kelsea Ballerini and Chase Stokes Deserve an Award for Their Sweet Reaction to Her 2024 Grammy Nomination
- SpaceX launches its 29th cargo flight to the International Space Station
- Groups seek a new hearing on a Mississippi mail-in ballot lawsuit
- Why Coleen Rooney Was Finally Ready to Tell the Whole Wagatha Christie Story
- Lionel Messi, Inter Miami vs. NYCFC friendly: How to watch, live updates
- Brazilian Influencer Luana Andrade Dead at 29 After Liposuction Surgery
Recommendation
-
New wildfires burn in US Northeast while bigger blazes rage out West
-
Mitch McConnell, standing apart in a changing GOP, digs in on his decades-long push against Russia
-
Nonprofits making progress in tackling homelessness among veterans, but challenges remain
-
Chrishell Stause and Marie-Lou Nurk's Feud Continues in Selling Sunset Season 7 Reunion Trailer
-
Driver dies after crashing on hurricane-damaged highway in North Carolina
-
Lyrics can be used as evidence during Young Thug's trial on gang and racketeering charges
-
IRA limits in 2024 are rising. Here's what you need to know about tax savings.
-
Growing concerns from allies over Israel’s approach to fighting Hamas as civilian casualties mount