Residents and health workers in the various districts of West Nile have been put on high alert following the outbreak of the highly contagious Ebola hemorrhagic fever in some districts of western Uganda.
The residents were put on alert on Friday after Ebola broke out in Kibaale district where at least 18 people have already died with some 32 others infected. Four other people who got in contact with dead bodies of people who died of Ebola are also being monitored in Hoima district.
Dr. Patrick Anguzu, Arua district health officer, who is coordinating the regional Ebola surveillance taskforce for the region says they have put the people on high alert because of the national boundaries they share with Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo where the disease is said to have originated.
He says in the meantime while the disease has not reached the region, people should take precautionary measures in their movements and behavior because in areas where the outbreak has been confirmed things like shaking of hands, coming in contact with dead bodies of those who have died of the disease and sharing properties such as clothes have been banned.
Dr. Anguzu says in the meantime they have put all the health workers on alert and to improve on their surveillance because they would be the first victims if they don’t take extra precaution to study the history of people who are brought with Ebola like symptoms since the disease can take between 2 to 21 days to be detected.
However Dr. Paul Onzubo, Arua municipal health officer, says they have already launched sensitization campaigns in the communities and radio stations with the region to educate the community about signs and symptoms of the disease and what should be done once it breaks out in an area.
He called upon communities to report any suspected cases to health facilities so that further spread of the disease can be combated since the disease has no cure.
Ebola is a highly contagious viral infection, which comes with high fever and bleeding tendencies. It spreads fast when one gets in contact with body fluids of an infected person. The symptoms include fever, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache, red eyes, bleeding from openings and measles-like rash.
