The Ministry of Health is investigating 34 people believed to have come in contact with persons infected with Ebola disease in both Kibaale and Kampala districts. The disease which broke out in Nyamarunda sub county Kibaale district has so far killed 14 people and another 7 are still fighting for their lives at Kagadi Hospital in Kibaale district.
While addressing the media at the Uganda Media Centre, Minister of Health Hon Christine Ondoa confirmed that 14 people had lost their lives with one clinical officer dying at the national referral hospital in Mulago on Saturday last week. The death of the clinical officer has sparked off queries over the safety of the medical officers at Mulago who had handled her case.
However, the minister affirms that the 4 members of staff who handled the case have been isolated and are being monitored for potential signs of the disease. This brings the number of people being monitored to 34 people including 30 others that were earlier being monitored by the WHO after the Uganda Virus Research Institute proclaimed the outbreak of the deadly virus in Nyanswiga LC1 Kibaale district.
Eye balling and autopsy tests on the affected families in Kibaale triggered off the suspicion of the Ministry of Health officials and eventually the Uganda Virus Research Institute after looking at the samples declared that the strange disease in the area was Ebola haemorrhagic fever Sudan strain. The ministry has also ordered for the re-activation of the isolation unit at Mulago to handle strange disease cases to avoid further spread of the disease.
On Saturday, a team of experts from Mulago setup an isolation unit at Kagadi hospital to handle the suspected Ebola cases and further setup burial committees to handle burial of all Ebola related cases. Dr. Dennis Lwamafa, the commissioner of the National Disease Control programme, says he cannot fully guarantee the safety of the patients at Mulago though he says the medical workers isolated so far show no signs of the disease.
The disease spreads through the eating of dead animals most especially monkeys, direct contact with infected persons and any discharges from their body as well as associating with infected persons. The ministry has called upon people to quickly isolate and report any suspected cases and as well avoid public gatherings in affected areas like Kibaale district.
