Avia Flu Outbreak In Uganda Is Bad News For Travel, Tourism And Safaris

An Avia Flu outbreak in Uganda is bad news, also for the travel and tourism industry. However, tourists heading to Uganda have been reassured that they are most unlikely to come into contact with infected birds and need not fear or resort to canceling their safari vacations in Uganda or anywhere else in East Africa for that matter.

Tests carried out on dead birds found on the shores of Lake Victoria between the capital Kampala and Entebbe, the location of the international airport, but also in Masaka District, have proved positive of avian flu, government officials confirmed late yesterday and earlier today.

A formal press conference is taking place right now at the Uganda Media Centre where Minister of State of Agriculture, Hon. Kibazanga, has confirmed the presence of the disease in East Africa.

Neighboring countries also bordering Lake Victoria are said to have instituted prompt measures to raise surveillance and monitoring on local and migratory bird populations to determine if the disease has also spread to their own shores.

Lutembe Bay, a major migratory bird route waypoint into and out of Africa, is one of the locations where dead birds were found.

Global organizations are also said to be preparing emergency support measures for Uganda to contain the outbreak and fight the further spread of the disease.

Uganda is among the countries in sub-Saharan Africa that face a high risk of a bird flu outbreak because it is crisscrossed by several routes for migratory birds, which are carriers of the virus.

Bird flu or avian influenza is an infectious disease of birds caused by type A strains of the influenza virus, according to World Health Organization.

The infection can cause a wide spectrum of symptoms in birds, ranging from mild illness, which may pass unnoticed, to a rapidly fatal disease that can cause severe epidemics.

According to the global health body, avian influenza viruses do not normally infect humans but there have been instances of certain highly pathogenic strains causing severe respiratory disease in humans.

Sources close to government are concerned,  it is the type of avian flu not known to spread to humans but, nevertheless, have officials called to be careful not to handle domestic chicken and other poultry and in particular not to touch any birds found dead to avoid any possibility of the virus crossing over to humans.

Alerts have been raised before in Uganda mainly because the country is part of the migratory bird corridor into Africa and past training will come in handy now to tackle the outbreak here in Uganda.

Uganda Becomes A Bargain For Tourists If Paying In US- Dollars

When the Uganda Shilling crashed through the psychologically important 3.400 barrier of one US Dollar versus the Ugandan currency and at the same time the Kenyan Shilling for the first time since a major speculative down drive three years ago fell below the equally important 100 mark, were tourists counting their fortunes as their local expenses for drink, food, souvenirs, art and gifts suddenly became cheaper while in turn the locals are staring in disbelief at rising prices.

All imports from outside the region, which need to be paid in US Dollars, suddenly need a lot more local Shillings to pay for the bills. Fuel, food items, machinery, cars, spare parts and a lot more will at the next import cycle all reflect the lower value of local currencies and the result of the price increases will manifest itself in higher inflation and lower spending power, a lethal combination for the poor but also for the region’s middle class which still remains on a fragile foundation.

As safari quotations are largely based in US Dollars or Euros will the cost of prebooked packages not likely rise though the local expenses incurred by tourists will be less in their own currency, making them no doubt smile whereas the faces of the locals will become somewhat grimmer when reality strikes home.

Central Banks in the region are expected to offer a coordinated countermove to sell hard currency into the market but how much that is going to be, and for how long it lasts before the green buck injection is absorbed and the downward trend continues, is a question which answer is almost obvious.

Upcoming elections across much of the region and the regular jitters this causes abroad, the ongoing Burundi turmoil and lesser incomes from tourism have all combined for a near perfect storm and while coffee and tea farmers will no doubt celebrate higher incomes, they too will think again when they get their next bill for imported fertilizers.

Intending visitors to the region should monitor foreign exchange listings and, considering the latest increase in cost for a Visa to Uganda, ask straight away for a Common East African Tourist Visa, which now costs the same, i.e. 100 US Dollars but allows to visit Rwanda and Kenya too.