The Vice President of Uganda, Major (Rtd) Jessica Alupo, will this evening address the nation on the state of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country, according to Faruk Kirunda, the Deputy Presidential Press Secretary.
Kirunda says Alupo will address the nation at 9pm on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni. The President returned on Saturday evening from Vietnam where he has been on an official visit.
“The Vice President, H.E Jessica Alupo, on behalf of H.E the President, will this evening at 9pm give a national address on the status of Ebola in the country,” writes Kirunda on Twitter.
This is the first time Vice President, Alupo, is addressing the country on behalf of the President since here appointment last year.
The address which will be relayed live by public Broadcaster, UBC, and all other Radio and Television stations, comes at a time when the country is reporting reduction in confirmed new cases of the disease. Uganda confirmed the first case on September 20 in Mubende district.
The President has since addressed the country four times, placing Mubende and its neighboring Kassanda district under lockdown, as one way of curbing the spread of the disease. In the same regard, all Pre-primary, Primary and Secondary schools in the country were forced close two weeks before schedule.
Since the outbreak declaration on 20 September, a total of 141 confirmed cases and 55 confirmed deaths (CFR 39%) from Ebola disease caused by the Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV) have been reported by the Uganda Ministry of Health as of 21 November.
In addition, 22 probable cases (all are deaths) have been reported since the beginning of the outbreak. Overall, 19 cases with seven deaths occurred among healthcare workers (HCWs).
The weekly number of confirmed cases reported has decreased for the third consecutive week after the peak observed in the week 17-23 October.
During the week commencing 7 November, five confirmed and one probable case was reported, including one confirmed case and one probable death from a newly affected district (Jinja), in the Eastern Region of Uganda, which is 80 km distant from Kampala. The most recent confirmed case was reported by the Uganda MoH on 14 November, from Kampala district.