Museveni speaks out on Ebola
Jul 30, 2012
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has cautioned all people in the country to be vigilant and avoid promiscuity, following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease in the Western Uganda district of Kibaale.
By Conan Businge
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has cautioned all people in the country to be vigilant and avoid promiscuity, following the outbreak of the deadly Ebola disease in the Western Uganda district of Kibaale.
Fourteen people have died, including one in Kampala, since the outbreak began three weeks ago.
“I appeal to you to be vigilant, avoid shaking of hands; do not take on burying somebody who has died from symptoms which look like Ebola. Instead call the health workers to be the ones to do it (bury), and avoid promiscuity because these sicknesses can also go through sex.”
Ebola is a highly infectious disease, which presents with high grade fever and bleeding tendencies. It is very infectious, kills in a short time but can easily be prevented.
The signs and symptoms of the disease include fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, headache, measles-like rash, red eyes, and sometimes with bleeding from body openings.
It can be spread through direct physical contact with body fluids like saliva, blood, stool, vomit, urine and sweat from an infected person and soiled linen used by a patient. It can also be spread through using skin piercing instruments that have been used by an infected person.
In statement released this afternoon, the President also revealed that all the seven doctors that dealt with the Ebola patient who died in Mulago days ago, have been quarantined.
More other 13 health workers in Mulago, who were accompanying them, have also been quarantined, to avoid a likely spread of the diseases just in case they got infected.
“This is to alert you about this new problem. The Ministry of Health has already announced the fact that samples taken from sick people and those who died, were confirmed at Entebbe, as Ebola,” added the statement.
Health experts also add that a person can get it by getting in touch with a dead body of a person who has died of the disease.
“May God rest the souls of those who died in eternal peace,” added the President.