South Sudan intensifies Ebola screening at border points

JUBA – South Sudan has intensified Ebola screening along the border points with neighboring countries following an outbreak of Ebola in Uganda.

On 20 September, Uganda health authorities declared an outbreak of Ebola disease following laboratory confirmation of a patient from a village in Madudu sub-county, Mubende district, central Uganda.

Michael Makuei Lueth, Minister of Information and Communication said the country is stepping up vigilance along its borders following an outbreak of Ebola in neighboring Uganda.

“We are prepared to check everybody coming in from any direction so that we are prevented and the main objective of the ministry of health was to bring to us their plans preparedness, readiness, and action plans,” Makuei told reporters following an extraordinary cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Makuei said that the latest reports on the Ebola outbreak in Uganda were worrying and they have re-enforced the local surveillance teams.

“Up to now so far, we have no case of Ebola outbreak in South Sudan but what we are doing are precautionary measures,” said Makuei.

Makuei added that they are prepared to handle any emergency as it could be reported.

“We are making protective measures and preparing ourselves for any unforeseen outbreak. We are preparing ourselves so that we can control the borders,” he said.

On Wednesday, the cabinet approved additional 30 million U.S dollars in addition to the $500,000 it approved last week as emergency funds in the fight against Ebola.

Ebola is a viral hemorrhagic fever of humans and other primates caused by Ebola viruses, presents with alert signs and symptoms that include; bleeding through the eyes, nose, gums, ears, and private parts.

Other signs are sudden fever, feeling tired, muscle pains, headache, sore throat, vomiting blood, diarrhea, and rash.

The disease caused global alarm in 2014 when the world’s worst outbreak began in West Africa, killing more than 11,000 people and infecting an estimated 28,000 as it swept through Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea.