Ugandan authorities have announced that schools will close early after Ebola cases continue to rise in the country.

In a statement, Education Minister Janet Katacha Museveni said, “Closing schools earlier will reduce areas of concentration where children are in daily close contact with fellow children, teachers, and other staff who could potentially spread the virus.” She added that children would be exposed to a higher risk of getting Ebola due to densely populated classrooms.

This development from Uganda comes as 135 people have been infected with Ebola, and more than 53 people have died in the last two months. The World Health Organization recorded a similar number, 150 cases, and 64 fatalities.

According to medical officials, a Sudan strain of Ebola has been circulating in Uganda, and there is no effective vaccine against the new strain. Ebola is spread by bodily fluids and kills approximately half of the people who contract it.

World Health Organization Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said last month that there were multiple clinical trials of vaccines that could fight against the Sudan strain. Tedros added that a rollout of the vaccines could begin in the coming weeks.