Museveni announces lockdown, curfew in Mubende, Kassanda districts over Ebola

 President Museveni has announced a lockdown and curfew in the districts of Mubende and Kassanda for 21 days over the Ebola virus.

Addressing the country on Saturday evening, Museveni said the directive also includes public, private transport and boda bodas which are not permitted to move in the two districts but only cargo vehicles.

“There is will be no movement in and out of Mubende and Kassanda. There will also be curfew in Mubende and Kasanda districts starting from 7 pm to 6 am in the morning. During the day you can move but within your district and at night you stay in your compound,” Museveni said.

He said because Mubende   and Kassanda is at the heart of Uganda, there is need to avoid blocking people passing through the districts.

“Public and private vehicles crossing through Mubende and Kassanda districts are permitted to move  with police clearance but not permitted to stop and pick people. Don’t stop but just drive through. Don’t drop or pick anybody.”

He said cargo trucks with one driver and turn boy will be allowed to drop goods in the two districts, adding that these will only do it during the day.

“They will leave the two districts by 5pm and will not be allowed to sleep in there. If you do, you will stay there for the next 21 days.”

According to the president, the directive means that traders from Kassanda and Mubende are not allowed to carry goods outside the two districts but only trucks foreign to the two areas.

The directive also saw weekly markets stopped for a period of 21 days .

Schools

The president said schools will remain open but strict hygiene measures like washing of hands at entrance should be followed.

“If any child misses school, the head teacher should inform health officials. All children teacher and staff in contact with a person or child with signs and symptoms of Ebola should stay home.”

He directed that all places of worship , bars, places of entertainment, cinema halls, gyms and saunas are closed in the two districts  whereas all burials whether of Ebola or not will be done by specific burial teams.

According to the president, the move to have a lockdown and curfew in the two districts was necessitated by failure of locals to adhere to directives and advice by the Ministry of Health.

“This was very easy to stop if the people of the other village had listened. I told people stay home but you hear one went to Luweero and then to Kampala. He died. Another one has gone to Kibuku.”

He however noted these are temporary measures aimed at ending Ebola , noting that if adhered to, the spread of the virus will be contained.

The president said the Ministry of Health will deploy 20 ambulances in the two districts of Kassanda and Mubende.

Kassanda and Mubende are considered high risk districts since the outbreak of Ebola started in Mubende from a family that has since seen many other people contract the deadly virus  with some losing lives including health workers.

Uganda currently has 58 confirmed cases of Ebola since its outbreak last month and 19 deaths.