21 days: Uganda mandates quarantine for arrivals from DR Congo
The new rule requires returning citizens to pay for their own isolation as officials seek to block the path of the virus that has killed more than 4,800 neighbors.
By Teresa Delgado ·
More than 4,800 people have died in the Democratic Republic of Congo since May, making it the deadliest outbreak of Ebola in the country's history. As the virus spreads to neighboring nations, Uganda has imposed a 21-day quarantine on all citizens returning from the DR Congo.
The health ministry announced the measure on Sunday. Returning Ugandans must undergo the full isolation period at their own expense. The government also tightened entry rules for other travelers, stating that those coming from the DR Congo cannot transit through Uganda.
Officials said the restrictions follow the detection of two Ebola cases in people who passed through Uganda. A Kenyan businessman and the Ugandan-born wife of a Swiss diplomat in Nigeria both tested positive. The Kenyan man had business interests in the DR Congo, while the woman traveled from the region for a holiday in the Ugandan capital.
The Kenyan patient died two days after arriving in Nairobi. Kenya has since confirmed eight additional cases. A second woman related to the businessman also died over the weekend. In response to the detections, Uganda monitored 60 people who had contact with the Kenyan patient, but the ministry said all were discharged on Sunday.
Uganda's Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi told the BBC's Newsday program that the country is intensifying screening at Entebbe International Airport and all land border crossings. He stated that only essential travelers from the DR Congo would be allowed entry and would face intense public health measures.
Uganda reported 20 Ebola cases and two deaths earlier in the year, but the World Health Organization declared the country free of the disease in August. Baryomunsi noted that the recent foreign cases show the risk has not ended. Diana Atwine, the health ministry's permanent secretary, said CCTV footage showed no physical interaction between the two patients who tested positive after passing through Entebbe airport on the same day.
The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of the virus. There is currently no specific treatment, though trials are underway. Officials continue to work with Nigeria to map the exact travel routes of the infected woman to determine her possible exposure points.
Source: BBC News
