Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Saturday imposed a lockdown on two districts at the epicenter of an Ebola outbreak, barring personal travel, ordering a night curfew and shuttering public places, reports BSS.
The health ministry says there have been 19 deaths and 58 confirmed cases of the viral haemorrhagic fever since the outbreak was first reported on September 20.
Authorities claim the outbreak is concentrated in the central districts of Mubende and Kassanda and has not reached Kampala, the capital of 1.5 million, despite a husband and wife testing positive there.
Ugandan president on Saturday ordered Mubende and Kassanda into immediate lockdown, imposing a dusk to dawn curfew, banning travel and closing markets, bars and churches for 21 days in a televised address.
"I now direct as follows: movements now into and out of Mubende and Kassanda districts are now prohibited," said Museveni.
"If you are in Mubende and Kassanda districts, stay there for 21 days."
Cargo trucks were permitted to enter and leave the two areas, but all other transport personal or otherwise was suspended, he added.
Bd-pratidin English/Ishrar Tabassum
