• Two districts in Uganda have been placed under lockdown for three weeks.
• Bars, nightclubs, places of worship, and entertainment venues in Mubende and neighbouring Kassanda will be closed.
• Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni had previously stated that such measures were unnecessary.

As the country battles an Ebola outbreak, two districts in Uganda have been placed under lockdown for three weeks.

Bars, nightclubs, places of worship, and entertainment venues in Mubende and neighbouring Kassanda will be closed, and a curfew will be imposed.

The move represents a U-turn for Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, who previously stated that such measures were unnecessary.

Among the 58 reported cases in this latest outbreak, 19 people were killed.

The true number of deaths and cases, however, may be higher.

The outbreak began in early September in Mubende, about 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Kampala, and has since spread.

President Museveni had previously ruled out lockdowns, claiming that because Ebola is not an airborne virus, it does not necessitate the same precautions as Covid-19.

However, on Saturday, he imposed a 21-day ban on all movement into and out of Mubende and Kassanda districts.

Cargo trucks will be allowed to enter and exit the zones, he said, but all other modes of transportation will be prohibited.

In a televised address, he stated, “These are temporary measures to control the spread of Ebola.”

“We should all work together with authorities to bring this outbreak to an end as soon as possible.”

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