Trending 
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has said the Ebola outbreak in the country is easing, with new infections and transmission rates declining.
In a televised national address on Wednesday night, Museveni said Uganda had recorded no new Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) cases over the past five days, describing it as a sign that the outbreak was coming under control.
“The story is clear. Some sick people from Congo came. They were not handled properly, carefully here. That’s all,” Museveni said. “In spite of all that, for five days now, no new cases. It looks as if the fire of Ebola has started going down.”
He added that Ebola is easier to prevent and manage than COVID-19, which killed over 3,000 Ugandans following the 2020 outbreak.
The cases recorded in Uganda have been linked to travellers from neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicentre of the outbreak.
Credit: Reuters.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the risk in Uganda remains high due to its shared border with the DRC, but has advised against travel restrictions, noting that enhanced border screening and surveillance are more effective at limiting the spread.
Uganda’s Ministry of Health said a total of 19 confirmed cases have been recorded, with two deaths. The Permanent Secretary of the ministry also said about five patients—four Congolese nationals and one Ugandan—have recovered after treatment.
No fewer than 12 patients are still receiving care and supportive treatment, as there are currently no approved drugs for Ebola Bundibugyo Virus Disease.
According to the Uganda Medical Association, about 100 health workers have been quarantined after being exposed to the virus while treating patients in various health facilities in Kampala since May 15.
Museveni, however, said the affected health workers were careless, alleging they handled patients without gloves.
“Ebola is an aggressive disease, but in my view, it is not as difficult to fight as either HIV/AIDS or COVID-19,” he said. “Even AIDS was easy to fight, in my opinion, but COVID-19 was very dangerous because it was spreading through breathing.”
“This meant that if I sat with you in a taxi, even if I didn’t touch you, through the air, you could infect me.”
