The Muzungu writes: I often receive questions from visitors to Uganda. Here’s a copy of an email exchange I had in November 2022 with David in the United States. The Ebola outbreak is completely behind us now but I leave this post here simply for historical purposes.

Subject: Travel enquiry

I wanted to travel to Uganda this December, but the State Department says that because of ebola, we should reconsider travel to Uganda. Additionally, that if we do travel, we should expect flights to be cancelled. Finally, on arrival, we have to be taken to [New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Atlanta (ATL), Chicago (ORD) or Washington (IAD)] designated airports for more screening before being released.

How is the situation? Have you heard of any flight cancellations from Uganda to the U.S because of ebola?

Thank you. Happy Thanksgiving.


The Muzungu replies:

Good morning David. Thanks for your message.

There is no reason why you should alter your travel plans. It’s most likely that you will go directly from Entebbe Airport to the National Parks and there are no reported cases in any of those areas.

Government information I saw yesterday says that we have had no new cases in 10 days. We have detailed contact tracing in place, based on decades of experience managing disease outbreak. World Health Organization, CDC (Center for Disease Control) and others are part of that process.

Most people are continuing to travel as normal. A few people have cancelled trips and a few people have postponed.

Government advisories are always extremely cautious. We are pretty disturbed by how over the top the US / CDC are on this one. They are based on absolute worst case scenarios. We who live in Uganda feel the situation is under control.

If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to ask. I answer questions all the time from potential travelers.


Dear Charlotte

Thank you so much for your detailed and informative response. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. I was really scared after reading from the State Department and the CDC [statement stated October 6 2022, link above]. Last thing you want is to be labelled as an ebola carrier.

If you say it is safe to go from the airport to the national parks, then I will talk to my friends so we can go from there. I hope you don’t mind if I share this email with my group with whom I am meant to travel. I want them to see it for themselves. They were all freaked out!

Thx again for the help Charlotte.

The Muzungu writes:

We’re all yearning to travel again post-pandemic so the last thing anyone wants to think about is Ebola…! Thankfully, the outbreak should soon pass.

It may be too early to celebrate any successes, but overall, I have been briefed that the picture is good. As I indicated to you earlier, Ebola is a contact disease, unlike coronavirus which is airborne, hence much easier to control, despite its devastating nature.

President Yoweri Museveni, November 26 2022

I regularly update several blogs, the most important being Latest news from Entebbe Airport. Safe travels! And don’t hesitate to message me if you need a little reassurance from a Ugandan resident like me.

The post An American asks: should we reconsider travel because of Ebola? appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu.

We all make mistakes, here are some of mine. This is a list of some of the advice I was given – and ignored. No doubt this list will grow as quickly as the list of good travel advice does!

Note to mum: you don’t need to read this. Switch off the computer and go and make yourself a nice cup of tea…

“DON’T swim in Lake Victoria or you’ll catch Bilharzia” they warned

There are hundreds of lakes scattered across Uganda. The good news is you can swim in most of them.

Adventurous or reckless – who’s to judge? – I’ve swum in Lake Victoria and the Nile many times.

If you’re planning to go white water rafting, kayaking or canoeing in Jinja, don’t worry, the river is mostly fast flowing so there’s little chance that you will catch Bilharzia (although it’s not impossible). Bilharzia can be horrible.

Read the Diary of a Muzungu’s suggestions on How to avoid Bilharzia.

“DON’T swim in the River Nile” I was told

Where not to swim in the River Nile advises you on how to avoid other dangers … some of them four-legged!

“DON’T forget to take your anti-Malarials” said all my well-meaning friends

Malaria can be fatal. However, very few Ugandans or expats take anti-Malarials. Read some of the precautions we take in How to Avoid Malaria.

When I was a Voluntary Service Overseas volunteer, I was given a whole list of vaccinations (15 injections in total!) and a free supply of anti-Malarials, in the belief it was cheaper to medicate me than to repatriate me.

“DON’T use a boda boda!” Said oh so many people

Riding a boda boda (motorbike taxi) is all part of the Ugandan experience, but play it safe and minimise the risks. Here’s the Muzungu’s guide on How to ride a boda boda.

“DON’T forget your sunscreen,” said my aunt

What I have lost in expat friends leaving Uganda, I have gained in bucket loads of sunscreen.

When volunteer friends have left Uganda, they’ve left me an assortment of half bottles of cosmetics. I have the full range of sunscreen, factors 5 through to 50, total block, waterproof, for kids – the lot.

But I like having a few freckles and I don’t hang around outside in the heat of the day.

I only seem to remember sunscreen when I’m going on Safari! But maybe I should rethink that…

“DON’T date a Ugandan!” One of my girlfriends told me

Ugandan men are handsome and can be very charming. They know how to tell women what we want to hear.

I’ve had more marriage proposals in Uganda than in my whole life!

But ladies, proceed with caution. Here are my tips on How to date a Ugandan.

So what are your do’s and don’ts for living and travelling in Uganda?

Do share them here. I’d love to read from you!

The post Uganda travel advice I ignored appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu.

As many Ugandans wake up to the new reality of Coronavirus (read my extensive guide with practical tips here) and the need to work from home, I thought I’d share my personal tips for managing a virtual office.

I’ve been working home since 2009 when I arrived in Uganda as a volunteer with the Uganda Conservation Foundation. The organisation budget was tight: I slept in one bedroom and the office was in another bedroom of the shared house. Although it was convenient for me (hooray no sweaty matatu taxi rides to work) I also found it difficult as I had the feeling I was always on duty. Since then, I have spent most of my time as a freelancer, often working from my bedroom. It hasn’t been ideal but I’ve made it work for me.

I have been in lockdown on the edge of Kibale Forest since March 23rd. You can read my story here at no. 3 in Fodor’s Travel’s article “We Asked for Fascinating Stories of Lockdown Abroad. And Wow, Did We Get Them.”

Are you working from home for the first time?

There’s a lot to take in right now as you swap the stresses of the daily commute for the challenges of bosses and clients expecting you to meet deadlines in a wholly different environment. Everyone’s adjusting to the Coronavirus outbreak in different ways. I hope you find something of use in this blog. If not, tell me, what have I missed?

Here are my personal do’s and don’ts for working productively from home during the Coronavirus outbreak

• DO keep regular hours. Don’t lie in until 11 am. If you usually commute to work, you will have more time than usual to work. If you normally work from 9 to 5, try keeping those hours. Give yourself a lunch break. Some people find it hard to start work in the morning. I’m the opposite, I find it hard to switch off at night (!)
• DO keep a separate working area. This should be separate from where you eat. If you have to work at the kitchen, try and keep working and eating as separate activities. Meals should be appreciated and enjoyed. Food and drinks near laptops and phones can be a disaster, I know! I once spilled a cup of tea over my laptop keyboard. It can happen to any of us. You’re supposed to be social distancing at home; you don’t want to be running to the computer shop because you had an IT disaster.
• DON’T work in bed. Bed is for resting, sleeping, reading and ‘other stuff.’ Bed is your personal sanctuary where you unwind and relax. If you’re in bed checking your phone, or typing away on your laptop, you are not giving your brain the personal space you need to relax fully. Go easy on yourself. Every evening by 9 pm, sometimes earlier, I switch my phone to airplay mode. Studies show that if you have an electronic device near you, your brain is mentally checking in, even if you are not touching the device. You need your beauty sleep, especially right now.
• DO get organised. Think about aspects of your regular working environment that work well and try to recreate that if you can. Be creative!
• DO tell your family and friends when you are working. Make it clear that between certain times e.g. 9 to 5 o’clock, you have work commitments. They can support you by respecting this – giving you a call at an agreed time when you’re done. (This gives you something to look forward to as well).
• DO think about which Internet provider is giving you the best service. Now is the time to shop around. I hot spot between two internet providers.
• DO be considerate. If you are covering your own data bill, you might want to work into the night but think about the knock-on effect of that. It may mean you’re useless in the morning when colleagues need to speak to you. Think about how your working antisocial hours can impact your family and the people you live with. Is it fair to them if you are cranky all the time? We’re all going to need a bit more patience than normal so cut yourself – and everyone around you – a bit of slack. Try and create routines that suit everyone in your living space.
• DO be economical. Think carefully about your Internet use. If you work from home, make sure you have enough data to meet your deadlines. Don’t watch Netflix all night then tell the boss you are out of data. Be sensible. Don’t take your job for granted. Many have already lost theirs.
• DO keep in contact with colleagues on a regular basis. Office life is a lot more than deadlines. Even if you can’t stand your colleagues (!) you will be used to interacting with them and their everyday chitchat. Find a way to keep that going if you can. Zoom meetings, WhatsApp groups, Facebook groups, Skype conference calls, Google Hangouts, there are dozens of different ways of creating a virtual chatroom. Most of them are free.
• DO embrace technology. Make use of online project collaboration tools. These can be as simple as Google Docs and Google Sheets, or try Dropbox. Rather than emailing attachments to each other, set up online sharing / collaboration systems, where you can see people’s comments and edits ‘in real time’ (without worrying that there are three different versions of the one document in circulation). These kinds of tools can make you a lot more productive. When you go back to the office, you may wonder how you never used them before! I work with many people who I never meet in person. We collaborate well with a combination of Dropbox, Google Docs, WhatsApp and CoSchedule (blog and social media promotion software). I can be a total geek you know!
• DO check that your laptop and phone software are up-to-date. Check your antivirus software. (Aren’t there enough viruses doing the rounds?) You don’t want a software meltdown when you’re hiding at home far away from the IT department. That said, Teamviewer is a great free piece of software that allows remote access. My IT guy in Kampala can remotely access my laptop when I need him to check something out for me, even if I’m travelling.
• DO think about how you keep track of your time. Your boss or client may require you to prove how much time you have worked on different projects. I use some software called Toggl.com.
• DO keep physically active. This is easier said than done so that’s why a routine is important. If you can, go for a (fast) walk or run first thing in the morning. This sets up your metabolism for the day and will clear your head. Get the blood pumping, increase your heartbeat, don’t hang around chatting to people, just wave at them and go on your way. (Remember social distancing, even while you’re exercising). If you can’t get out of the house, how about doing some squats? Get on YouTube and take part in a fitness class. Call up a friend and ask them to do a YouTube exercise class with you while you’re on the phone together. Having a walk late afternoon is a good way to mark the end of your working day too.
• In South Africa, recreational running and walking outside your house / garden was banned during lockdown. Read how Bradt Travel Guide writer Philip Briggs has been managing his fitness by running a loop around his cabbages!
• DO work standing up if you can. Studies show that it is better for you than sitting hunched over a laptop.
  If you are making phone calls, stand up, take a walk around where you live, look out of the window, look up at the sky, look at the birds. Your voice projects better when you are standing up and you will feel more comfortable as well.
• DON’T have work meetings at home. You’re in isolation, right?
• DO drink plenty of water.
• DON’T sit at your desk snacking all day. It’s easy to put on weight when you’re working from home. Not only are you sitting at your desk or table all day, but you are not walking around the office, or walking to the taxi stage like you do most days. Sometimes we snack when we are bored.
  At the start of the day, imagine you are getting ready to travel to work and plan your snacks. Prepare something and have it ready for when you want a break. Low-fat items like apples and chopped carrots are good for you. Boiled eggs and (plain) yoghurt are filling. Go easy on the ground nuts, chapatis and rolex! If you like bananas, don’t eat more than one. They’re pure starch and if you sit on your kabina (backside) all day, that thing will grow!
• DO cut back on your sugar intake and soda drinking.
• DON’T hit the bottle too often, tempting as it might be. You’ll put on weight if you drink too much alcohol and may get mood swings too. If you smoke weed, don’t go overboard. Normal everyday life will be back with us soon enough…

• DON’T sit around all day in your night clothes. (It will feel rather weird if your boss rings and you are half dressed). If you are dressed in your work clothes, it will help you focus on the tasks ahead.
• DO enjoy time off. Just because your laptop is there, don’t become a work bore (like me!) Weekends are for relaxing, even when you’re working from home. Get away from the screen. If you are on the laptop all day, and then watching TV or playing computer games (more screens), your brain may fry, my dear! Read a book or newspaper, play cards, cook, sew, do a spot of gardening, plant tomatoes on your balcony, listen to music and podcasts, sing, play music… even washing clothes or polishing your shoes can be therapeutic. Pray, meditate, do some yoga … stroke the cat.
• DO take a digital detox. Take time out from watching Coronavirus news and following social media. It may clear your mind and destress you. The world will keep turning!
  If you find it hard to ignore social media, turn off all the notifications.
• DON’T suffer unnecessarily, DO reach out for support.
• DON’T leave the house during lockdown unless absolutely necessary. If you have to go out, social distance two metres from others. Wash your hands with plenty of soap for at least 20 seconds. Use hand sanitiser containing 60% or more alcohol (if there’s no soap). When you get home, jump straight in the shower. Read more practical tips here on my extensive Coronavirus blog which I update on a weekly basis.

When I’m not working from home, I train businesses in digital marketing and travel across East Africa (usually by public transport). I feel like my wings are clipped right now but let’s remember this enforced ‘time out’ is for our greater good.

#StaySafeStayHome #StaySafeUG #StaySafe

Ugandan friends, what are your tips for working from home during Coronavirus?

Do you have tips to share or is working from home a new experience for you? I’d love to know your thoughts here or send me a personal message.

The post Coronavirus survival tips: how to work from home appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu.

The last few months have felt surreal. I feel like I’m on the set of a John Wyndham science fiction movie. Everything looks the same yet everything is different. My world view has shifted.

I have been in lockdown on the edge of Kibale Forest since March 23rd 2020. You can read my story here in “We Asked for Fascinating Stories of Lockdown Abroad. And Wow, Did We Get Them.”

Scroll down for useful links and advice on Coronavirus / #COVID-19.

I don’t pretend to be a Coronavirus expert but I am adding links to useful tips and information as I find them. At the time I published this blog (21st March 2020) there was little practical advice online in Uganda about how we should respond to Coronavirus. One of my best friends is registrar at a London hospital (and heads up the hospital’s COVID response plan) so I’m checking facts with her before I share them.Scroll down and see what’s relevant to you. Write a comment if I have missed something!

The volume of information about Coronavirus and the staggering changes to so many aspects of our lives is quite overwhelming, isn’t it? I thought I’d be able to keep on top of developments in our corner of the world, but I have been struggling. Upcountry internet has not helped. For simplicity I am therefore simply adding links to latest info as comments at the bottom of this post – when I can’t edit this post. If you see anything that you think is wrong or out of date, do please contact me and I shall correct it ASAP.

UPDATE: May 27th 2021. There are rumours we may go back into lockdown as there has been a big rise in infections. Facemasks must be worn in public; bars remain closed (officially, at least). Police are getting strict about curfew again. Download the full Ministry of Health Uganda press release. Update on COVID-19 pandemic, dated 27 May 2021.

The Ministry of Health launched a portal that tracks the virus in Uganda. [No longer online]. To watch President Museveni’s broadcasts about Coronavirus in Uganda, visit https://yowerikmuseveni.com/

Are you worried you have Corona Virus symptoms?

Click here to do the COVID-19 self-help test. It takes a few seconds and is FREE.

John Wyndham is famous for books such as The Chrysalids and The Day of the Triffids which “chillingly anticipates bio-warfare and mass destruction.” I’m not a conspiracy theorist but the sight of strangers wearing masks in the supermarket and the notion of unseen dangers in everyday life has clearly rattled me over the past weeks.

As Uganda braced itself to deal with coronavirus (first case confirmed 21 March 2020; Uganda records first Coronavirus death 23rd July), holidays have been cancelled and tour operators are looking despondent. I had an international flight booked (but will I make it to the UK? NO I’m still in Uganda. Would I make it back into Uganda if I had travelled? Who knows). African tourism – global tourism as a whole – looks pretty doomed right now.

The Ugandan government closed Entebbe International Airport to passenger planes from midnight 23 March but the airport reopened on October 1st 2020. Land borders were also closed (except for cargo). Testing and contact tracing is now in place at official borders. If you are due to travel to or from Uganda you should contact your airline or tour operator for the latest advice.

The 14 day self-quarantine process had its flaws and quarantine in hotels became controversial and expensive. The good news is that you can fly into Uganda without having to go into quarantine; however, you will need to present a negative COVID test 72 hours before you board the plane. If you present with COVID symptoms when you arrive at Entebbe Airport, you may be tested and taken into quarantine. Many people are now working from home. Read my blog Corona Virus survival tips: how to work from home during the Corona Virus in Uganda.

Here is a list of approved quarantine hotels in Uganda.

Which are the Coronavirus “affected countries”?

NOTE: some countries allow travel from affected countries; others allow travel if the country has less than 200 cases. This is the global map of locations with confirmed COVID-19 cases, by WHO Region, created by CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

On March 25th 2020 Uganda Wildlife Authority announced “primate tourism and research suspended in all Protected Areas until April 30th 2020.” They have also updated rescheduling of gorilla tracking permits (and other activities in the National Parks). Primate tracking has reopened but you have to wear a mask throughout your time in the primate National Parks. UWA has various discounts in place across the country during 2021.

Read my blog Uganda Wildlife Authority goes on Facebook Live to discuss wildlife protection during the pandemic. This includes a link to watch the recording of the event in which ED Sam Mwandha discusses law enforcement, human wildlife conflict, primate tourism and the future of UWA and more.

In a press statement, Association of Uganda Tour Operators (AUTO)“advises that consumers and travel agents contact their tour operator directly and in a timely fashion to discuss available options.”

Would the world not allow Africa just a little time to celebrate the momentous news reported below this week?

The last Ebola patient has been discharged from a treatment centre in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

A 42-day countdown has begun to declare the end of the world’s second-deadliest Ebola epidemic. https://t.co/inNZYioo7H — United Nations (@UN) March 4, 2020

Ebola has since resurfaced in the DRC 🙁

Basic protective measures against the new coronavirus (courtesy of WHO and Unicef)

Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others. Take care of your health and protect others by doing the following:

Wash your hands frequently. Wash your hands with plenty of soap and water. British advice is to wash your hands for 20 seconds or “sing Happy Birthday twice!”

Keep an alcohol-based sanitizer ready for times when soap and water are not available.

Why? Washing with soap and water or using alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.

Maintain social distancing (and don’t take it personally when others do the same to you)

Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing. Use ‘no-touch’ greetings such as hand waving, elbow bumping or “namaste” rather than handshakes and hugs.

Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the COVID-19 virus if the person coughing has the disease.

Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth

Why? Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses. Once contaminated, hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.

Your phone is probably the dirtiest thing we possess! (After you wash your hands, next clean your phone). Read and watch Coronavirus: How to clean your smartphone safely, courtesy of a microbiologist.

Practice ‘respiratory hygiene‘

Cover your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

Why? Droplets spread virus. By following good respiratory hygiene you protect the people around you from viruses such as cold, flu and COVID-19.

If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical care early

Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. (The freephone numbers are on this page). Follow the directions of your local health authority.

Why? National and local authorities will have the most up to date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. This will also protect you and help prevent spread of viruses and other infections.

Message from the Ministry of Health, Uganda

The Ministry of Health requests the general public to call our toll free lines on 0800-100-066 or 0800-203-033 to report any suspected cases of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) or to inquire information on COVIDー19. Alternatively, you can call or WhatsApp @ainbyoo Senior Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Health on +256 (0)706 428093 or send a FREE SMS to Ureport on 8500. You can also call Atek Kagirita on +256 (0)752 909153.

The Muzungu: I called 0800-100-066 and was told that if you think you have been exposed to Coronavirus, you should attend one of the screening centres. These are China Uganda Friendship Naguru and Entebbe Grade B Hospital. Corona Virus screening is free of charge.

UPDATE NOVEMBER 2020: note that if you present yourself at a government facility with COVID symptoms, you do not have to pay for the test. If you simply want to get tested for your own peace of mind or because you are travelling, you will pay 185k UGX at a government clinic. There are a number of private clinics that offer testing. Some of them even offer a drive-through service or will come to your home or office and test you. These prices range from 300k to 450k ugx.

Further reading about the Corona Virus in Uganda

Visit the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak website for information and guidance from WHO (World Health Organization) regarding the current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Page updated daily. It has facts, statistics and practical videos. I have learned a LOT from visiting this site. It includes advice on common questions like:

• Protection measures for persons who are in or have recently visited (past 14 days) areas where COVID-19 is spreading
• When and how to use masks
• Myth busters such as
• How effective are thermal scanners in detecting people infected with the new coronavirus? (They only detect a fever. You may have the virus but not be exhibiting fever yet).
• Can spraying alcohol or chlorine all over your body kill the new coronavirus? (In summary, no).
• Are antibiotics effective in preventing and treating the new coronavirus? (No Uganda, antibiotics do not work against viruses, only bacteria).
• Are there any specific medicines to prevent or treat the new coronavirus? (In summary, no. Try not to get it, relieve symptoms, don’t spread the virus).
• Getting your workplace ready for Corona Virus. This pdf document addresses questions such as:
• 1. Simple ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in your workplace
• 2. How to manage COVID-19 risks when organizing meetings & events
• 3. Things to consider when you and your employees travel
• 4. Getting your workplace ready in case COVID-19 arrives in your community.
• Travel advice

UNICEF Uganda has similar information:

Coronavirus (COVID-19): What you need to know and learn. How to protect yourself and your loved ones.

What should people with a lung condition do now? Visit the British Lung Foundation website for more information. This advice is aimed at those who are 70 or over; or are pregnant; or have a weakened immune system; or have a long-term lung condition such as asthma, COPD, emphysema, bronchitis or pulmonary fibrosis.

Should I use a facemask?

The Ugandan government states that you must wear a facemask when you’re out in public. Supermarkets are not supposed to let you enter unless you are wearing a mask. They may take your temperature and disinfect your hands or ask you to wash them. They may even take your contact details for contact tracing.

Opinions on the effectiveness of masks vary. My doctor friend told me: I doubt masks are 100% effective because even the properly designed ones in surgery are only maximum 95% effective. However, masks DO stop you touching your face (and that may be enough to prevent you catching the virus). Note that:

• The mask must be clean so can’t be touched on the inside when taking on or off.
• It must be clean each time it is worn.
• Wash your hands before putting on your (or someone else’s) mask.
• Don’t have it hanging round your neck. That is not hygienic (and you are not wearing the mask, are you?)

Coronavirus (COVID-19). Health advice for people with asthma

How a country serious about coronavirus does testing and quarantine

James Onen shared the interview below on Twitter. (Ignore the US context, listen to his advice). One huge advantage Uganda has is our experience managing – and preventing – Ebola.

WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March 2020

“All countries can still change the course of this pandemic.

If countries detect, test, treat, isolate, trace, and mobilize their people in the response, those with a handful of cases can prevent those cases becoming clusters, and those clusters becoming community transmission.

All countries must strike a fine balance between protecting health, minimizing economic and social disruption, and respecting human rights.

This is not just a public health crisis, it is a crisis that will touch every sector – so every sector and every individual must be involved in the fight.” 

Where did Corona Virus come from?

The world is watching Covid-19 and learning a new word: zoonotic disease. What’s going on?

Read Preventing Disease Outbreaks: Lessons From Uganda, an interview with “Conservationist, veterinarian, epidemiologist, and health worker in the villages near wild habitat, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka is an advocate for the well-being of both people and animals. She is teaching Ugandans how to achieve wildlife conservation through public health and prevent disease outbreaks. We asked Gladys for insights into the current novel coronavirus pandemic and how we can prevent future outbreaks.”

“A group of 27 prominent public health scientists from outside China is pushing back against a steady stream of stories and even a scientific paper suggesting a laboratory in Wuhan, China, may be the origin of the outbreak of COVID-19.” Read Scientists ‘strongly condemn’ rumors and conspiracy theories about origin of coronavirus outbreak published 19th March on ScienceMag.org

Which resources about Corona Virus are you finding useful? Please share any useful links. I’ll be updating this blog regularly. Type a comment here or Contact me directly.

Keep safe dear readers. This will pass.

The post Bracing ourselves for Coronavirus in Uganda appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu.

If you’re planning to go swimming in Uganda or white water rafting, kayaking or canoeing, don’t worry, the River Nile near Jinja is mostly fast flowing so there’s little chance that you will catch Bilharzia, although it’s not impossible.

The Bilharzia (snail) larvae breed in the shallow waters of the reed beds. Just to be on the safe side, if you plan on swimming in Uganda, first read my page on How to avoid Bilharzia.

Swimming in Uganda. Oh, the life of a volunteer TRA LA! Taking a dip below The Haven, River Nile, Jinja.

I’ve been Grade 5 White Water rafting three times in Uganda. Adrenalin rushes aside, I found that gently floating along next to our raft between the rapids is one of the best things I have ever done. I felt completely safe.

The dams at Owen Falls and Bujagali are very effective barriers to the rare crocodiles that you find on the Jinja shores of Lake Victoria. Any renegade crocs are quickly picked up by the Uganda Wildlife Authority so there’s nothing to worry about if you’re messing around on the river.

There are hippos and a few crocodiles on Lake Victoria itself (above the Owen Falls dam), so I’d give the midnight swims a miss until you’ve checked with local people whether any have been seen in the vicinity!

Swimming in Uganda – or in the River Nile at Murchison Falls National Park to be precise – is an altogether different matter: do not under any circumstance consider dipping even a toe in the river. As well as having very strong currents, here the River Nile is a fantastic mass of man-eating crocs and hippo!

Did you know….? The hippo is Africa’s most dangerous mammal. Hippo chasing man at Paraa, Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda

Some of the wildlife highlights of the River Nile in Murchison Falls are the pods of Hippo, and the huge Nile Crocodiles – you have been warned!

Do you enjoy swimming in Uganda? Have you swum in the River Nile?

Do you have any other Uganda travel tips or expat travel advice you’d like to share?

Please leave a comment here or check out the Diary of a Muzungu Guest Post page for more information, I’d love to hear from you!

The post Where NOT to swim in the River Nile appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu.

Or … “How not to do it”

This month I have been bitten by Mango Flies and a spider. I have had Malaria and Scabies, a fungal infection and an allergic reaction… what have you been doing, you may ask?

The silly Muzungu thought she would try and save money by consulting her Travellers Health book for Uganda travel health advice. I’d been itching like crazy, two evenings in a row and it felt like the surface of my skin was crawling alive. “Itching, particularly bad at night” was found in the Scabies section of the book. The next morning, I walked down to the local pharmacist and then to the local clinic for a diagnosis.

I was trying to go local. I like supporting local businesses and, after all, isn’t a Ugandan more likely to know what afflicts somebody who lives in Uganda? So went the thinking…

Three diagnoses later, plus a concoction of antihistamines, fungicide treatment, and other treatments  – and I was still itching like crazy.

It wasn’t Scabies.

Nor had I been suffering from Mango Fly bites.

I thought it highly unlikely that I could possibly have Malaria a third time in six months. After all, Dr Stockley tells us “you can’t get Malaria in Kampala.”

When I told him that I thought I’d caught Malaria in Ggaba, he said: “Yes, well that’s Ggaba, that’s not Kampala!”

I always err on the side of caution, so when I got sick I decided I better have one more Malaria test. At the local clinic, I was surprised to hear I had the third positive result in four months, although I hear positive results are not that easy to get. (Even if you do have Malaria, it often hides in your organs and doesn’t show up in the test).

I’d been a bit suspicious of said clinic. They first tried to sell me a cream that was almost out of date. Obviously disappointed that I didn’t want to buy that, the clinic then tried to sell me something else for a condition that never even got a mention during the consultation!

I won’t be going there again, especially when I later had a conclusive result from Nakasero Hospital that proved I could not possibly have had Malaria when I had my test two days previously at the local pharmacy. In fact, a tropical medicine doctor friend says the antigen test for malaria shows I can’t have had it in the last six months…

And what was it that I had in the end?

Nothing tropical, only a case of Shingles, finally diagnosed by the Surgery. A British nurse friend had suggested I might have Shingles, but the two local clinics refuted that suggestion. Shingles is brought on by stress. It’s not contagious, but if you have had chickenpox as a child, you risk developing it later in life.

In my effort to save money, I’d actually wasted money by taking medications for something that I didn’t even have. I had prolonged my illness too.

Learn from the muzungu’s experience. When you feel ill, go to the best doctor you can afford – straightaway (and ditch the Travellers Health Book!)

Are you new to Uganda? You might find this blog useful: How to avoid Malaria.

Do you have any other Uganda travel tips or expat travel advice you’d like to share?

Please leave a comment here or check out the Diary of a Muzungu Guest Post page for more information, I’d love to hear from you!

The post Beware the Travellers’ Health Book! Tropical disease diary appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu.

Are you looking for advice before travelling to Uganda? This page is for you!

Are you moving to Uganda as a volunteer or on a work contract? Read Uganda for beginners – introduction for new expats.

Everyone has questions about visas. I frequently update How to buy Ugandan tourist visas and always answer readers’ questions directly on this page.

One of the first things you’ll want to know when you travel to Uganda is how to call home. It’s certainly a lot easier than it was – although you can’t always guarantee a successful call. Read the Muzungu’s tips for calling home from Uganda.

Uganda is a fantastic country to travel and live in but, if it’s your first time in sub Saharan Africa, you’ll probably have a few health-related questions. Read my tongue-in-cheek guide the Uganda travel advice I ignored. Here you can read the Muzungu’s personal tips on how to avoid how to avoid Bilharzia and how to avoid Malaria, how to ride a boda boda (motorbike) – and even how to date a Ugandan!

Many expats like me take on a dog (or two) when they come to Uganda. Read all about my adventures with USPCA rescue dogs Baldrick and Percy. And for those of you finishing a contract in Uganda and planning to take your mutt with you, I’m sure you’ll find this first-hand experience a useful guide. How to take your dog to the UK from Uganda.

My friend Mark shared some driving advice in How to drive in Kampala. Driving here is not for the timid! You just have to dive in – and have your wits about you at all times.

Do you have any other Uganda travel tips or advice for new expats you’d like to share?

Please leave a comment here or check out the Diary of a Muzungu Guest Post page for information on how to share your story, I’d love to hear from you!

The post Uganda Travel Tips appeared first on Diary of a Muzungu.

Bilharzia (also known as Schistosomiasis or snail fever) can be horrible. You will feel under the weather and nauseous for weeks.

How to avoid Bilharzia. “Swimming is at your own risk” reads the signpost in Munyonyo on Lake Victoria, Uganda

The best advice? Many people would just never swim in Lake Victoria or the River Nile but my tips to avoid Bilharzia are:

• Swim from a boat or pontoon, or at least in an area away from the reed beds where the Bilharzia snail’s larvae hatch. It’s these larvae that get into your bloodstream and make you ill.
• If you crunch on a bed of tiny snail shells as you walk into the Lake, that’s a sure sign Bilharzia’s around.
• After your swim, give yourself a good all-over scrub in the shower. Best to do this within 20 minutes of getting out of the lake.
• My friend Julia says ‘enjoy your swim! And afterwards, give the soles of your feet a good hard scrub!’ Apparently that’s enough to prevent you from getting Bilharzia.
• Don’t just assume you’re ok. Bilharzia can remain dormant for years and, left untreated, can lead to liver damage.
• Buy the Bilharzia tablets from any pharmacy in Kampala. They are very cheap. If you’re just visiting Uganda, I’d recommend buying some and taking them when you get home. You need to take them any time after three months of exposure. Take them one evening before you go to bed. You’ll feel a bit nauseous but wake up right as rain the next morning. Last time I asked, the Praziquantel (Biltricide) tablets cost just 600 Uganda shillings each. You should take one tablet for every 10 kg of body weight.

Alternatively….

Don’t let any of this put you off swimming in Uganda. There are hundreds of lakes scattered across the country. The good news is you can swim in most of them.

How to avoid Bilharzia. It’s safe to swim in Lake Nabugabo. There’s no Bilharzia, no crocodiles and no hippos!

Swimming in Uganda. Sandy Beach at Lake Nabugabo, just outside Masaka, is popular for a weekend away from Kampala.

How to avoid Bilharzia in Uganda. Swim in Lake Bunyonyi. Photo of washing clothes in Lake Bunyonyi

The crater lakes such as Lake Bunyonyi, in the far south west of Uganda,  and Lake Kyaninga near Fort Portal are Bilharzia-free as well.

To swim or not to swim? At the end of the day, do what you feel comfortable with.

Have you swum in Lake Victoria? What are your tips for avoiding Bilharzia?

Do you have any other Uganda travel tips or expat travel advice you’d like to share?

Please leave a comment here or check out the Diary of a Muzungu Guest Post page for more information, I’d love to hear from you!

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When I was a VSO volunteer, I was given a whole list of vaccinations (15 injections in total!) and a free supply of anti-Malarials, in the belief it was cheaper to medicate me than to repatriate me! I took the anti-Malarials (Doxycycline) religiously every day for several months…. but then I started to forget.

An expat friend who’s lived in Uganda 12 years advised it might not be a good idea to take anti-Malarials for longer than my two year volunteering stint anyway. When I heard that my British volunteer pharmacist friend Cheryl had stopping taking them too, I stopped taking mine. However, I’m not totally silly. I do take other precautions to try and avoid getting Malaria.

Here are the Muzungu’s travel health tips.

How to avoid Malaria. Uganda travel health advice

Travel health tips to avoid Malaria

• Firstly, start by reading my tropical disease diary – a few lessons in how NOT to treat Malaria, learned the painful way by yours truly, so you don’t have to.
• Sleeping under a mosquito net is the best. I love the sanctuary of my net, I feel safe. When you’re in a cold part of the country or at altitude, you may sleep without a net. Equally if you’re in a hotel with air-conditioned rooms, mosquitoes won’t thrive.

• 

  Africa’s most dangerous animal, the mosquito

• Mosquito repellent can be very effective. It’s most needed at dusk. I just smother my feet and ankles with it.
• Make sure you know what the signs of Malaria are and go and have a test straightaway if you show symptoms. Symptoms differ from person to person.
• In my case, Malaria symptoms are: a bad headache for several days (that paracetamol wouldn’t shift); my neck and shoulder muscles seize up and set like concrete; I also have lower back pain; one night I had a fever.
• If you’re travelling outside Kampala, it’s a good idea to take anti-Malarials while you’re away. Buy a test kit and a supply of the prophylaxis so you can self-medicate if needs be. Both are cheap and widely available across Uganda.
• If you’re only in Uganda for a short time, take your anti-Malarials (and follow the instructions carefully). Remember Malaria can be fatal.
• In Uganda, when you feel ill, friends will always suggest you go for a test.
• See a doctor!
• If you get sick back home after your trip however, your doctor may not recognise Malaria symptoms.
• It’s quite common to get a negative test result for Malaria even though you have it. I felt very sick on the eve of travelling to Ethiopia. Although I had a negative test, I believed I had Malaria symptoms. I took the prophylaxis anyway, and lo and behold I felt right as rain. However, some would argue that you should not take the medication unless you really need it, i.e. have a positive result.
• I’ve had Malaria twice. I seem to have been lucky and not been as sick as some other people. At the time of writing, a friend of mine is still in bed after seven days of sickness. Last week she had to have a drip and her temperature was 40°. Another friend was hospitalised and had hallucinations. Malaria can kill, remember.
• Don’t mess with Malaria!

FACT: Did you know the indigenous Neem tree has over 135 medicinal uses? It is a natural repellent to mosquitoes, thus a popular tree to grow in a compound. Putting a small branch of it in your house is an effective mozzie repellent.

Have you had Malaria? Do you have any unusual symptoms?

Do you have any other Uganda travel tips or expat travel advice you’d like to share?

Please leave a comment here or check out the Diary of a Muzungu Guest Post page for more information, I’d love to hear from you!

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Early morning boda boda ride from Upper Konge in Kampala. In  Uganda, you are never far from the village… although I lived just a few kilometres from the city centre (and even closer to Lake Victoria) you would hardly think so. The bumpy early morning ride down a steep marram dirt road is a great way to wake up – and a lovely way to see Kampala, the city of Seven Hills.

There’s nothing more exciting than having the wind blow through your hair on a beautiful sunny day – but you wouldn’t take the risks of riding on the back of a stranger’s motorbike without  wearing a helmet back home would you? Ask yourself: would you do this if your mum knew about it?

Away from Kampala city centre, Uganda boda bodas can be a lot of fun. Jan, Stacey and I hired three bodas for the climb up the hill to Cassia Lodge

Here’s the Muzungu’s advice on how to ride a boda boda in Uganda:

• You might be on a budget, but your safety is worth more than saving a few thousand shillings. Try and get a licensed ‘special hire taxi ‘home, sharing with friends if possible.
• Don’t ever just flag down a passing boda driver at night – they could be anyone.
• Wear a crash helmet, ideally your own. If the boda boda driver has one, the chances are it will not fit, there will be no chin strap, it may have been dropped many times (and thus rendered almost useless) and, besides, you don’t know who else has had it on their head!

Crash helmets are compulsory on boda bodas in next door Rwanda. And no more than one passenger is allowed!

• Use a boda recommended by a friend. Store his / their numbers on your phone. (It doesn’t mean you have to date them ladies, although they may try it on!)
• Use a boda from a recognised boda ‘stage’ (like a bus stop). These guys are licensed, whereas the majority of bodas on the streets are not. If you have an accident, the boda is likely to disappear before you scrape yourself off the tarmac. If you take a boda from a stage, you can at least report the driver to the stage chairman or the police.
• If your friend goes home on a boda at night, store the number plate of the bike on your phone. Let the boda driver see that you’re doing this. Tell your friend to SMS or beep or ‘flash’ you when s/he gets home safely.
• This advice is for men and women, Ugandans, expats, tourists, volunteers – everyone.
• There are some unscrupulous guys out there who are just criminals on motorbikes. Don’t be a victim.
• When you’re riding a boda, keep your personal items close to your body. Hide jewellery. Take it off until you arrive at your destination.
• Wedge your bag between you and the boda driver. Someone tried to pull my friend off a bike when she had her bag loose over her shoulder. He only wanted the bag but he nearly pulled them off the bike and into the road.

Boda bodas are the main form of transport in Uganda: for people, chickens, goats, three piece sofas – and even coffins!

Have fun, but be safe.

Remember Uganda is a developing country with limited facilities.

If you have an accident on a boda boda (the statistics are TERRIBLE), the medical services may take a long time to get to you in an emergency. Can you risk your dream holiday or your new life to be flown home in an emergency?

Check out Amy Fallon’s funky blog dedicated to Uganda’s boda boda drivers http://bodabodababy.blogspot.co.uk/

What are your tips for travelling safely on a boda boda in Uganda?

Do you have any other Uganda travel tips or expat travel advice you’d like to share?

Please leave a comment here or check out the Diary of a Muzungu Guest Post page for more information, I’d love to hear from you!

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