Is Uganda Still Safe for Tourists After Ebola Outbreak?

Tourists visiting Uganda are guaranteed to stay safe despite the confirmed Ebola outbreak in the country, especially in Kasese District in western Uganda (on the Uganda-DRC border).

The Minister of State for Tourism – Hon. Godfrey Kiwanda – said that the index case within Kasese is isolated and the family members of the victims of the virus have been traced.

Uganda is still safe, and tourists are free to enjoy the beauty of the country because their safety is guaranteed; thus, there is no reason to be afraid/or worried or issuing travel advisories,” said the minister.

This development is all good news for the tourism industry and the people of Uganda in general.

The Ebola scare has brought to attention several health organisations and governments, including the World Health Organization (WHO), that mobilized regional and global support, including making available $18.4 million, meant for training health persons within the high-risk districts (especially those near the Congo border), as well as strengthening logistical support and putting up several isolation facilities.

Meanwhile, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus-the World Health organization Director General also visited Uganda while on his way from DRC to assess the prevalence and response to Ebola within the hotspots especially Mabalako (where the virus was first confirmed in August 2018), Katwa and Butembo.

He was received into the country by Dr. Jane Ruth Aceng-the Minister of Health as well as her technical team, and also held bilateral talks with President Museveni on the present Ebola outbreak.

Ebola can be spread through fluids (fluids in the eyes, blood, semen, saliva and brain fluids) from an infected person and symptoms include stomach pain, high fever, muscle and joint aches, severe headache, sore throat, lack of appetite. Acute cases involve bleeding from open body parts such as ears, nose and eyes, vomiting or coughing blood, bloody diarrhea and rashes.

The outbreak of Ebola has affected the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo since August 2018 and Uganda invested over 10 months of preparation and vaccination in Ebola prone areas.

The country has capacity to contain Ebola outbreak and so far more than 5500 hand washing equipment were provided by United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) to public places such as schools, hospitals and border entry points of 17 western Uganda districts.

Tourists are safe to visit Uganda (have lower risk) because screening for the disease is being conducted at border points but are also cautioned to prevent ant possible infections through avoiding contact with animals (especially primates-mountain gorillas, chimpanzees and monkeys as well as bats), avoiding contact with dead bodies, sick people or blood and body fluids and practicing good hygiene through washing hands with soap.