Ebola in Uganda: no containment necessary, announces President Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni on Wednesday (September 28) ruled out imposing containment to fight the Ebola virus, cases of which have been detected in Uganda, saying the country had the capacity to contain the epidemic.

Ugandan authorities said cases of the highly contagious disease were spotted in the central region of Mubende last week.

There have been 24 cases and five confirmed deaths, President Museveni said in a televised press briefing.

Some 19 people classified as probable cases also died, he added, explaining however that they were buried without being tested for the infection.

But Uganda's head of state pledged not to lock down affected regions, saying the country was able to contain the virus.

,” he said.

No treatment

Ebola is an often fatal viral hemorrhagic fever.

The disease is named after a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where it was discovered in 1976. Human transmission is through bodily fluids.

Epidemics are difficult to contain, especially in urban areas.

Currently, there is no drug to prevent or treat Ebola, although experimental cures are being developed.

Uganda, which shares a border with the DRC, has experienced several Ebola outbreaks, the most recent in 2019, which claimed five lives.