KAMPALA, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- Uganda has stepped up Ebola screening at border entry points after two patients who later tested positive for the disease transited through the country, prompting renewed efforts to prevent cross-border transmission.
At Entebbe International Airport, the country's main international gateway, the Ministry of Health has installed additional temperature scanners to screen travelers, particularly those arriving from or transiting through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where nearly 10,000 Ebola cases have been reported since May.
Diana Atwine, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health, conducted an unannounced inspection at the airport on Wednesday to assess screening arrangements and identify potential gaps. The airport was the transit point for the index cases in Kenya and Nigeria, both of whom tested positive for Ebola this month.
Atwine cautioned that thermal scanners alone could not guarantee the detection of infected travelers, as some patients might have normal body temperatures or take medication to suppress symptoms.
She said the ministry planned to establish special courts to prosecute travelers who knowingly concealed Ebola symptoms and exposed others to the disease.
"We are going to invoke the Public Health Act," Atwine said in a video shared by the ministry during the airport inspection. "If you sneak into our country under those circumstances, we will get you and charge you."
According to the ministry, Kenya's index case took paracetamol to suppress a fever, allowing the traveler to pass through thermal screening undetected. Nigeria's index case, meanwhile, transited through Uganda from the DRC without showing symptoms.
In a statement issued Tuesday following reports of the Nigerian case, the ministry stressed that although the patient had passed through Uganda, the country had no active Ebola cases.
"We urge the public to remain calm, vigilant and to practice regular hand washing and sanitizing. The Ministry will continue to share verified updates through its official channels," the ministry said.
Although the border between Uganda and the DRC remains closed, limited arrangements have been maintained for humanitarian and diplomatic movements, according to the ministry.
On Thursday, Allan Ssempebwa Kyobe, senior communications officer at the Ministry of Health, said the ministry was engaging officials in Kasese District, which borders the DRC, on Ebola preparedness and incident management.
"The engagement focuses on strengthening coordination, surveillance and readiness to protect communities against the threat of Ebola," the officer said in a post on the social media platform X.
He also said Uganda maintained a team of experts in eastern DRC to help contain the virus at its source and prevent cross-border transmission.
Earlier this week, the team hosted DRC National Incident Manager Steve Ahuka, alongside officials from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), who commended Uganda for its support.
Alongside tightening screening measures, Uganda is also seeking to counter misinformation and disinformation about Ebola, which the government says could harm the economy.
The Ministry of Health has urged the public to obtain verified information about the disease through its official channels.
Uganda recorded an Ebola outbreak in May but subsequently brought it under control. The outbreak resulted in 20 confirmed cases, including 18 recoveries and two deaths, with most infections imported from outside the country. The WHO and Africa CDC officially declared the outbreak over on Aug. 27 after the country completed the required period without a new confirmed case. ■