Uganda imposes 21-day quarantine for citizens after trips to DR Congo — TimesLIVE
Uganda has introduced a 21-day quarantine for its citizens returning to the country who had previously visited the Democratic Republic of Congo. The decision was made amid intensified measures against the spread of Ebola, TimesLIVE reports, citing Uganda’s Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi.
Ugandan authorities say there is no Ebola in the country following the end of the latest outbreak in July. At the same time, concern was raised by two Ebola cases detected in Kenya and Nigeria in people who had previously been in Uganda.
Investigation into the case in Nigeria
Uganda is investigating a case in Nigeria involving the wife of a Swiss diplomat, who visited the country last month. Ugandan officials, together with Nigerian authorities and international partners, are analyzing genome sequencing, travel data, contacts, and the woman’s movements.
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Swiss authorities had stated that she became infected in Uganda. Baryomunsi called such conclusions premature and noted that the woman’s relatives from the West Nile region had visited her in the Kampala suburb of Kansanga and had also traveled to the DR Congo.
Strengthened controls at the borders
The first Ebola patient in Kenya arrived from the DR Congo in Uganda and flew from Entebbe Airport to Nairobi on October 3. He died two days later. According to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Diana Atwine, this patient and the woman ill in Nigeria were at Entebbe Airport on the same day but did not have contact with each other, as established after reviewing surveillance camera footage.
According to Baryomunsi, all 60 contacts linked to the case in Kenya completed the 21-day medical monitoring period and were released from it. Uganda has also strengthened checks at Entebbe Airport and at all land border crossing points. Everyone arriving in the country by air, land, or water must complete a passenger tracking form.
