Stepping up precautions against Ebola, Uganda has announced a 21-day quarantine for citizens returning to the country having history of travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Country’s Health Minister Chris Baryomunsi announced the measure today, saying Uganda remains Ebola-free. He said all 60 contacts linked to a Kenyan Ebola case had completed their 21-day monitoring period and been discharged.
The contacts were traced through entry and exit points, hotels and transport operators associated with travellers passing through Uganda.
Mr Baryomunsi said, screening had been intensified at Entebbe International Airport and all land border crossings. All travellers entering Uganda by air, land or water are required to complete a passenger locator form.
Genomic analysis of Nigeria’s only confirmed Ebola case showed that the virus was closely related to the strain detected in Kenya’s index case.
However, Nigerian authorities said there was no evidence that the Kenyan case had travelled to Nigeria or was directly linked to the Nigerian case.
Uganda shares a border with the DRC, where the outbreak began, and has previously battled Ebola outbreaks