Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has ruled out imposing a lockdown following an Ebola outbreak in the central district of Mubende last week.
“We decided that we shall not have lockdowns. It is not necessary,” Museveni said.
In a televised press briefing on Wednesday, Museveni said the country could contain the outbreak.
“Government has the capacity to control this outbreak as we have done before. There is no need for anxiety, no restrictions of movements, closure of schools places of worship, and markets as of now,” he added.
The first outbreak of the highly contagious virus in Uganda was reported in 2019 when at least five people died.
According to Uganda’s Head of State, so far six health workers tested positive and are currently under medication.
He further revealed that 19 people classified as probable cases had died and were buried before they could be tested for the infection.
What you need to know about Ebola;
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Ebola is a deadly disease with occasional outbreaks that occur mostly on the African continent. It affects people and nonhuman primates (such as monkeys, gorillas, and chimpanzees).
Ebola is caused by an infection with a group of viruses within the genus Ebolavirus.
The Ebola virus was first discovered in 1976 near the Ebola River in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since then, the virus has been infecting people from time to time.
Human transmission of the virus is through body fluids, with the main symptoms being fever, vomiting, bleeding, and diarrhea.
Outbreaks are difficult to contain, especially in urban environments.
There are currently two treatments approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Inmazeb was approved in 2020, and Ebanga was approved in December 2020.
However, with or without the drugs basic interventions can improve chances of survival i.e providing fluids and electrolytes orally or infusion into the vein.
Some other medications can be incorporated to reduce vomiting and diarrhea and also manage the fever.