A strange disease has claimed the lives of 12 members of the same family in Kibaale district over the past two weeks. Sylvia Biingi, a member of the family identifies the deceased as their 64 year old father Yostus Isoke, his sons Fred Isoke, Byaruhanga Isoke and grandsons Rodgers Byaruhanga, Kusiima Byaruhanga and Busiinge Byaruhanga, all residents of Nyanswiga village in Nyamarunda Sub County in Kibaale.
Others are Winnie Mbabazi, Doreen Nantongo and Rovinsha Kabwimukya. Biingi explains that the disease first claimed the life of her two month old baby Busiinge Byaruhanga. She says that there after it started claiming other members of her family including their father the late Yostus Isoke. She says that latest victim of the disease Rovinsha Kabwimukya died on Tuesday this week.
Biingi says that as a result of the death of her family members from the unidentified ailment, residents have shunned her home fearing to contract the disease. The disease presents with acute fever, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach complications and with blood oozing from the nose and mouth. The affected persons die within 4-7 days.
Dr. Dan Kyamanywa, the Kibaale district Health Officer says despite the fact that most of the cases have been recorded in the same family; they have other cases from other families. He explains that Clare Muhumuza, a clinical officer at Kagadi Hospital who was attending to the patients died on Saturday this week with similar symptoms.
He says a team of health officials from Ministry of health has been in the district to investigate and diagnose the disease but nothing has been found yet. Dr Kyamanywa says another team from the virus research institute is expected in the district to do further investigations. He says that since they have not yet established the actual disease, they are only treating symptoms.
//Cue in: “we cannot say……………
Cue out……………do it”//
Dr. Roy William Mayega from the department of epidemiology Makerere University School of public health suspects the victims could have contracted the disease from food. His suspicion is based on the fact that disease has been reported in the same family, where people in most cases share the same food.
.
//Cue in: “its attacking………..
Cue out…outbreak”//
