Health Alert – U. S. Embassy Kampala (9 August 2022)
Location: Countrywide
Event: The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for Monkeypox in Multiple Countries. The World Health Organization has determined the multi-country outbreak of monkeypox is a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (click here to view the WHO’s determination). On August 4, the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services (HHS) declared monkeypox a national public health emergency (PHE). As of August 8, Uganda Ministry of Health has not detected any cases of monkeypox, and has in-country testing capacity.
Actions to Take:
Travelers SHOULD:
- Wash your hands often with soap and water or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, especially before eating or touching your face and after you use the bathroom
- Close skin-to-skin contact with sick people, including those with a rash or skin lesions on their bodies or genitals.
- Contact with objects and materials that a sick person has used (such as clothing, bedding, eating utensils, or materials used in healthcare settings) or that came into contact with infected animals.
- Contact with dead or live wild animals such as small mammals including rodents (rats, squirrels) and non-human primates (monkeys, apes).
- Eating or preparing meat from wild game (bushmeat) or using products derived from wild animals from Africa (creams, lotions, powders)
Risk to the general public is low, but you should seek medical care immediately if you develop new, unexplained skin rash (lesions on any part of the body), with or without fever and chills, and avoid contact with others. If possible, call ahead before going to a healthcare facility. If you are not able to call ahead, tell a staff member as soon as you arrive that you are concerned about monkeypox.
If you are sick and could have monkeypox, delay travel by public transportation until you have been cleared by a healthcare professional or public health officials.
Assistance:
U.S. Embassy Kampala, Uganda
+256-414-306-001
Email: KampalaUSCitizen@state.gov
Website: https://ug.usembassy.gov/
State Department – Consular Affairs
888-407-4747 or 202-501-4444
- Uganda Country Information
- Enroll in Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts.
- Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
