The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency designates Uganda and six other African countries as quarantine management areas. This is a measure to prevent domestic entry as an outbreak of Ebola virus disease recently begins in Uganda./Courtesy of Wikimedia
The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency designates Uganda and six other African countries as quarantine management areas. This is a measure to prevent domestic entry as an outbreak of Ebola virus disease recently begins in Uganda./Courtesy of Wikimedia

The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency designated seven countries in Africa, including Uganda, as quarantine management areas.

The agency announced on the 26th that it would designate Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda, Kenya, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and other countries as quarantine management areas and strengthen quarantine measures following reports of Ebola virus infection cases in Uganda.

Ebola virus disease is an acute febrile hemorrhagic illness that spreads through contact with infected animals or patients. It causes severe headaches, high fever, and muscle pain, and results in bleeding from the skin and mucous membranes. The fatality rate reaches 75%, and South Korea manages it as a class 1 infectious disease.

In Uganda, the outbreak began after a confirmed case of Ebola virus disease was reported on the 30th of last month. The first confirmed case died, and an additional eight confirmed cases are currently receiving treatment but have been discharged. As of the 20th, there are 58 contacts being monitored in isolation facilities.

The agency designated Uganda, where Ebola virus disease is spreading, along with neighboring countries where there is a possibility of transmission, as quarantine management areas and has strengthened entry quarantine measures. Passengers arriving from quarantine management areas who exhibit symptoms must report their health status to quarantine officials. Epidemiologists and public health doctors have also been deployed at Incheon Airport.

Jiyoungmi, the head of the agency, noted that "Ebola virus disease is transmitted through contact with patients rather than respiratory transmission, so it is not rapidly spreading abroad," but also stated, "Since there are still no commercially available vaccines or treatments, I hope travelers to outbreak countries adhere to preventive measures, such as avoiding contact with wild animals."