At a time when more cases of Ebola are being registered in Kassanda and Mubende districts, over 31 officials involved in the fight against Ebola have been arrested by Police over accusations of engaging in acts likely to spread the disease.

Among them are 13 volunteers from the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) and the rest from different Government and non-governmental institutions.

In bar at 11:00pm

Wamala Region Police Spokesperson Racheal Kawala said the suspects were found in a bar at night over the weekend.

“Police arrested them for flouting guidelines against the spread of Ebola,” Kawala said Monday, October 31, 2022.

The suspects were allegedly found at Homeland Bar Guest House in Mubende municipality at 11:00pm.

As the 21-day lockdown assumed at controlling the spread of Ebola started, bars in the two districts were closed, but guest houses and hotels remained operational.

It, however, remained unclear how this bar, which is in the middle of the town was open, serving over 30 people at 11:00 pm as Kawala referred ;New Vision ;to Police spokesperson Fred Enanga.

URCS speaks out ;

The URCS, however, said they were investigating the circumstances under which this incident occurred.

“Those involved will be investigated and management will use the findings to take necessary actions,” a statement issued by URCS communications and public relations officer Irene Nakasiita partly said.

Nakasiita later said they had confirmed that all the suspects were staying at the said guest house.

She also confirmed that the 13 were volunteers with URCS and were members of the burial teams.

“They go through a lot during burial and even that day, they had returned late from a burial. So maybe they had not gone to bed yet. We shall find out more,” she said.

Challenges

Since the lockdown started, URCS and the World Health Organization have been facing the challenge of getting enough medics and other officials to engage in handling Ebola.

In Several meetings, these officials have always noted that medics are shying away from being trained to handle Ebola.

Likewise, the two districts have always asked for more burial teams, yet few people were willing to be trained.

Emmanuel Ayinebyona, the public relations officer at the health ministry said he was yet to find out whether there were any officials from the ministry among the suspects.

Mubende Resident district commissioner Rosemary Byabashaijja said they had released the suspects on Police bond.